If Steve Smith intends to follow through on his plans for retirement, he may have just played in his last game, as Ravens head coach John Harbaugh confirmed to reporters that the veteran receiver tore his Achilles during today’s contest against the Chargers (Twitter link). Smith will miss the remainder of the year, and given that he has vowed to call it a career after the season, the mercurial pass-catcher may have seen his final game action.
At 36 years old, Smith was in the middle of a second consecutive solid season with Baltimore, averaging nearly 100 yards receiving per game and having scored three times. The three-time All Pro, who caught 79 balls for more than 1,000 yards and six touchdowns during his first year with the Ravens, would finish with the 11th-most receiving yards in league history, with nearly 14,000.
Whether Smith actually retires is an open question, and one that Harbaugh addressed today in his remarks to reporters. “I have a feeling Steve Smith will be back,” said Harbaugh. Later, in a message to Smith, Harbaugh said, “You’re going to write the final chapter of your career in a way that nobody expects” (Twitter links). Within the past several weeks, Smith confirmed that he was “still on schedule” to retire at season’s end, but even his agent is not convinced. It’s fair to wonder if this painful end to his season, in addition to Baltimore’s disappointing year as a team, will force Smith to reconsider.
More pressing for the Ravens is how to replace Smith in the starting lineup. Kamar Aiken figures to see more targets with Smith out of action, while Marlon Brown and recent trade addition Chris Givens could also be in line for additional work until first-round pick Breshad Perriman returns from a PCL injury (and perhaps presuming Perriman returns at all this season is a mistake).
If Smith does reverse his decision and return for the 2016 season, he’d be playing under the third and final year of a deal he signed prior to the 2014 season. He’d be paid a base salary of $3MM, and account for a cap hit of roughly $4.17MM.
That sucks and further depletes their receiving core
Sad way for his career to potentially end. For all the talk about concussions has there ever been a study on ACL/MCL injuries? I don’t remember those injuries being prominent 10-15 years ago. Just curious as to why these injuries continue to increase. It’s like tommy John in baseball
And Achilles injuries
More of them are happening on non contact ones like wake. I’m not sure of Steve smith but you never know what could happen
Wonder if there is any connection between the increase in these injuries with the reduction of true artificial turf surfaces. Seems like a lot happen with a slip on the surface. Probably far off on my idea but it’s the only major changes I see other than player development and training.