Jimmy Smith Would Retire If Ravens Let Him Go

Veteran Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith relishes his role as a mentor to the young players on the team.

The 33-year-old sits behind Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and Tavon Young on the depth chart. As well as that, third rounder Brandon Stephens and fifth rounder Shaun Wade can rely on his experience.

Jimmy Smith was drafted 27th overall by Baltimore in 2011, and injuries stopped him reaching the top level. However, he’s happy to play experienced backup for the Ravens defense. 

As well as that, Jimmy Smith says he’s not interested in playing for another team. In fact, if the Ravens let him go, he’d retire. 

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“I love it when a guy asks me, ‘Hey, O.G., what do you think about this?’ It’s just the respect that they have for me and the respect that I have for them,” Smith said. “We don’t have guys that are here like, ‘I know everything.’ The fact that our young guys are so respectful and so eager and willing to learn, it makes this role much easier for me to go through.

“I absolutely will not play for another team,” Smith added. 

“If the Ravens didn’t re-sign me last year and I felt like I could still play, I probably would have still retired.”

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“To me, this is family,” he said. “I know these guys. I’ve known them for so long. They know me. It’s hard to go to a new place, and you’ve got to introduce yourself, you’ve got to impress people. I don’t want to do all that. I’m good. I’m comfortable being here. Financially, I could not play another down right now and live my life great. It’s not necessarily a money thing. Obviously, money weighs into this, but it’s not the deciding factor. If I retire, if the Ravens are done with me, then I’m done playing ball.”