Jimmy Smith only wants to play for the Ravens next season

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith may or may not retire at the end of this season, but one thing is for certain: he won’t be joining any other team.

Smith has flirted with retirement for a while now, and this year, he’s been cherishing what could be his final games as a Baltimore Raven.

Week 18’s season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers could be his last professional football game ever after spending 11 seasons in Baltimore.

Smith has spent his entire career playing for the Ravens and has often rose to the occasion in Baltimore’s direst moments.

Whether it was making back-to-back stops on the goal line against the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl or, more recently, recording a tackle for loss to force a Los Angeles Rams fourth down at the end of the Week 17’s game, Smith has proved himself a loyal and worthy member of the Ravens defense.

Smith told reporters on Wednesday that while he’s not sure if he’s ready to retire, he definitely isn’t considering signing for any other team.

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith pledges allegiance to the team

With Baltimore ravaged by injuries this year, the team has leaned on Smith in the absence of their other starters, but Smith still played a career-low 39 percent of defensive snaps as he battled injuries of his own.

His playing time has steadily decreased since his early years in Baltimore, and Smith himself has talked about wanting to spend more time with his family.

"“It’s something you have to mentally prepare yourself the older you get. I’ve been doing this my entire life. I don’t know what it’s like to be free. I kind of want to go to the other side and be able to spend that time with my family. Then the other part of me is, ‘Bro you know dang well you’re a football player and you want to be on that field.'”"

At heart, Smith is a football player — no, he’s a Ravens football player. And he always will be.

There’s no guarantee that Baltimore will keep Smith for 2022, but his options seem to be black and white: retire, or re-sign with the Ravens next season.

He weighed these same options last year and was ultimately re-signed. Even if Smith makes the decision to retire, the door for his return will still likely be left ajar.

"“If the Ravens come to me and like, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about this, what do you think?’ I’m definitely all ears.”"

There’s something in that Ravens camp Kool-Aid that’s making players absolutely love the place.

We’re here for it, and we’re also here for Jimmy Smith, regardless of what path he takes in the future.