Steve Smith Sr. went down with a torn Achilles this afternoon in the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the San Diego Chargers. It was a crushing blow to the Ravens and their fan base, although it could very well mean that Smith will be back for another season.
Going out with an injury isn’t in Smith’s DNA and he should not retire following the injury.
Why shouldn’t he retire at 36 years old following a very serious lower body injury? That just isn’t the kind of player he has been throughout his career and he would regret allowing a torn Achilles to be the last thing that he does on an NFL field. He has always been one of the fiercest competitors and hard workers in the game and coming back from this injury to play against would prove that once again.
Throughout the 2015 season to this point, Smith had made a major impact for the Ravens’ offense. He caught 46 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns.
Those numbers came despite Smith being forced to miss one game due to a back injury that he suffered.
Baltimore may not end up being the team that he comes back with, but playing one more season would be the best thing for Smith as a person. Retiring on his own terms would be one thing, but being forced to retire due to an injury is something that no player ever wants to do.
Not only should Smith come back for another year, he is more than capable of doing so. Even with the injury that he suffered this afternoon, he will still be able to come back and make an impact for any team that he signs with. If it is the Ravens, there is a good chance that he could come back and be a No. 1 target for them again.
All of that being said, this is a crushing blow for the NFL fan base as a whole with the respect that Smith has gained throughout his career. He has been a true professional throughout his football life and needs to follow through on the career that he has had and tough it out for one last hoorah.
