Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. officially retired this week the only way he knows how: with personality.
In his letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Smith, who has been known to trash talk an opponent or two during his 16 seasons, wrote: "This is to notify you that as of today I, Steve Smith Sr., will no longer be antagonizing defensive backs. I am retiring from the National Football League."
Smith posted his letter on his Twitter account Friday morning.
An emotional Smith had said after the Ravens' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday that it was the final game of his career and that he plans to spend more time with his family in North Carolina.
Smith ranks seventh all-time in the NFL with 14,731 yards and 12th with 1,031 receptions. In his 16 seasons, first with the Carolina Panthers and then the Ravens, Smith also had 81 receiving touchdowns.
