After a storybook career, it looks like the five time Pro-Bowl Defensive Tackle, Justin Smith, has had enough of the game. There has been speculation surrounding his future with the 49ers franchise but today it was confirmed that he will retire from the game. Click more to read the full story!
Being in the league for 14 seasons will definitely take its toll on you after while. Starting out with the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith continued his career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2008 and was relatively underrated due to his teams not getting much exposure from failing to win. In 2011, he was definitely a driving force that pushed his team to the playoffs and ultimately won Defensive Player Of The Year.
But as always, father time eventually catches up with you as you get older and brings your game down. This is exactly what Smith is experiencing and he spoke on the matter as well saying, “When you’re on bald tires, you’re on bald tires…it was just time for me to move on.” That statement can be taken very literally too. In 14 seasons in the league, Smith only missed a total of two games; so, just imagine the wear and tear that his body has.
The fact that he only missed two games in his entire career is an impressive feat in itself. The most recent season, however, Smith was less and less of a factor because his minutes were being diminished and this is what put the idea of retirement in his head because he has been quoted saying he does not believe in being a part time football player.
Source: NFL.com
