October 3, 2022 • 20 mins
Cornerbacks chat as Marlon Humphrey talks to Jimmy Smith about retiring from the NFL and his sterling 11-year career.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jimmy, the cleats gotta come to it, and they always do.
I know you said you take your kids to school.
Now what is next for Jimmy Smith. I tried to
immediately take some workshops and look at franchise and then start,
you know, getting into afterlife. But it was like a
kind of like the weights, like I'll get to it.
Like I'm not in the rush. There's no rush to
(00:20):
do it. But you know, somebody also told me, like
do something you love. Now. You know, it's difficult to
find that out, figure out what you really love after
you've been doing something that you love for a long time.
So it's kind of like I'm gonna give my myself
some time to figure it out what it is, and
I truly want to do Carlin Humphrey is, without a
(00:41):
doubt in the conversation to be the best coming in football.
We are here at Studio forty four. A special addition,
I had a guest who just recently retired on a
great career, one of the radist Ravens, to put on
(01:01):
the jersey. Jimmy Smith, how are we doing today? I'm
doing excellent, Jimmy. The news came recently, obviously with the retirement.
What kind of led you to kind of finally hang
up the cleets at the end of the last season
just listening to my body. It was really calling, and
I'm kind of tired of, you know, getting injured and
(01:25):
coming back all the time and fighting that. So I
just really listened to my body. So since then, I
just kind of been calmed down and I haven't really
worked out too much. I just relaxed at home and
visit a lot of families. So it's kind of my
decided fact was like, you know, I kind of enjoyed
this and I'm good, and I'm good. We talked about
working out. I was I was saying, we're down a
couple of guys, you know, we could always and you
(01:47):
said you haven't done much working out recently, so that
that was was gonna be a question I had later.
But I got the gym down there, I went, I
went down there, I got the workout from my guy.
I've seen the I've seen the pay It was a
full body, full body got down there and started to
stretching and was like, I'm not ready yet. It's not time.
It's not quite time. And this is like maybe like
(02:09):
a month ago. So that would be the first time
I even looked at some mines. You gut us listen
to the body. I remember the first time I I
get here and they're talking about Jimmy Smith chut down,
shut down, and I'm like, I didn't watch NFLM grown
ups all in Alabama. It's all album football, arm and football.
So I get here and I'm like, all right, so
just like that's him right there, and I'm like, you
(02:31):
looked like that was the all season. You have to
stop benching so much. And they were like, bro, you're
just putting on too much mustle, and I was just like, crap,
this is Jimmy Smith. And then I put on the
tape and you're jamming people like crazy, and I was like, this,
dude's crazy. But that was my first first impression. But
back to retirement. Was it kind of hard for you
(02:53):
to you know? It wasn't like an immediate season ending
type thing, was I know. I'm sure it was a
lot what kind up emotions went through the head as
you were decided to finally make it the decision? Um, well,
I knew one thing for Cheryl, I wasn't gonna play
for one team, so it was easy for me to
kind of already make a decision knowing that they probably
weren't gonna mess with me again after that. So you know,
(03:16):
it was aided even if I wanted to continue to play,
I knew my heart was here, so um, the decision.
It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be,
but it is. It is. It is hard, I guess
in a way because I missed the guys. I missed
you know, all that like seeing you guys go back
to camp. I was like, oh man, it's already that time. Like,
you know, you don't realize how how quickly time goes by,
(03:37):
kind of weirdly, I missed the structure of every day
getting up doing something right now, it's just kind of loose.
I get up to take the kids to school and
then just playing video games. So it's like, you know,
it's kind of one of those decisions that kind of
like kind of follow your heart. Like I knew it.
I knew it. You know, you've heard me said, so
I knew it was just to stay true to myself
(03:59):
speaking on a team. I actually before I did this,
I looked up your initial draft class and I was
just like, it's crazy, how many guys. Some guys going
to sign a big deal to the other teams. Some
guys just don't make it out. I think from someone
you know, before I got in the NFL, it seems
like one team paying one teams pretty easy. But getting
in the league and you see for one team to
(04:20):
stick around for ten years, it shows so much willing
really for the player. How does it feel for you
to have only worn one jersey in this league? It
feels amazing. Um, that's kind of one of the one
of the things I'm most proud of is that I
stuck it out here. Also, I mean Ravens have something
to do with that too. I had some ups and
downs and they stuck with me as well. So um,
(04:41):
but yeah, I mean when I got hurt back at
what FOURT team, when I was getting signed, the guy
and everybody thought about getting a bigger contract, was always
about staying here. And I think it's just being a Leo.
I'm just super loyal. So you know, it's like I said,
it's one of the more prouder things I am of
being being a Raves, sticking them through eleven years. Yeah,
So did you ever was there ever even a small
(05:03):
thought of ever leaving here was always just like this
is home, this is family. The year before too, I
think with your fourth year, maybe your third year, um,
when I was sending another one year deal, I had
some other offers that we weren't crazy, but they're a
little bit better than the Ravens. But wow, like just
committed here. It's like, you know, it's home. Were long thing.
(05:25):
We're going so consistently playing. I know you, I mean
early on in your career you want a super Bowl?
What was something I'm curious was there anything that from
your rookie year to your last year. I know there's
from rural changes to this and that. Is there anything
that you can think of that was just like a
really big change is just as far as just how
(05:46):
the building was, how the teams were. You know, you've
been with Ray and those guys. You've you've seen so
many different eras of teams. Is there anything that sticks
out as you get older? I guess hardball got a
little bit a little tiny bit after not not much
like he's still still you know, it's warmer still right now,
like he's you know, Other than that, nothing really has
(06:06):
changed much. Do you get the same type of good
hearted ball players that you know, not choir boys, but
like good, good people that getting after and work hard.
So it's like that that culture always remains. I know
you and hardball were really close. What's kind of something
that you know between you and him? We have kind
of that made you guys so close. Like I remember,
(06:27):
but you told me sometimes you would just reach out
to Harbor just talk about life, not even about football.
What was something about hardball that's just and as it actually, honestly,
as I've gotten older, I've really gotten like close myself.
Like I remember, I'm a lie. Like early on, I
was just like, bro, I don't know what talking about like,
and then as I've grown on, I really started to
(06:48):
grow more love for hardball in the off season, just
have just a conversation not even about ball. And so
what what was that with you with Harves? Just you know,
he always challenged me, He always the he was always
there for me, you know, making sure we're you know,
heads on straight, and went, like I said earlier, went
to a whole lot of stuff. And during that time
he was it was there for me. And you know,
(07:08):
as a player, you can you always look up to
your coaches as role models. As mentors. So you kind
of watch somebody for eleven years and you see them
what he teaches, the lessons they put out, and if
he walks it or he just talks it, and he's
a person that walks it, he's actually who he says
he is. He's very honest. He will tell you if
you're getting burnt up, he will tell you if you're
acting out. You know, he'll tell you all those things.
(07:30):
I remember remember one story like and I've never sagged again.
I was got on the plane one time and hardballs
and this is always young too. He gets got on
the plane, he said, looked at me. He looked at
me like Jimmy. I was like, yeah, what's up? And
he was just like your pants like grows grow up.
And I'm just like, oh, and from that day, like
I'm never gonna sag again. I was embarrassing. But it
(07:51):
was like small things like that, Little little things like
that that helped me grow up, becoming man, more mature. Um.
But watching him, watching those lessons, watching him teach it
just it rubs off on you. Back to kind of
switching gears a little bit of football. You've had obviously
a lot of years playing in this league. I know
(08:12):
you had a huge game when he playing the Super Bowl.
Is there besides that play? Is there another play that
kind of just sticks out? I mean there's I can
think of a lot myself. When you had two pigs
against the Browns, there's I mean it goes on and on.
But is there a certain player, a couple of plays
that you just remember that just stick out, that you'll
just feel like you'll never forget. Yeah, but they're not good.
(08:34):
I mean the worst I've ever been beaten, I was
by Mariti Cooper. He hit me and I had a confidence.
Second down, I made a play on like a slant
here and like batter it down. And then they come
at third down something cocky in his face and this
is fresh off in this rank to just being silly,
and he hit me on a post corner and he
(08:56):
was already on the corner and I was still reacting
to the post and caught the ball and just took
straight off down the sideline. And the reason that sticks
out because I've never be there, but I didn't know
what to do. I ran off the sideline. I was
just like WHOA, that's never even happened in college, Like
it's never happened in practice. It was just one of
those plays, um on a good play, one player that
kind of goes. It was a great play that you know,
(09:18):
at that time, I was upset, but it was a play.
Then in the differ Broncos game, we had that returner
had took him two back on him already and they
were kicking it deep to him, and I remember coach
Jerry just like y'all go out there and like make
a play. And we went down there and I end
up tackled them down at the five and I ended
up kind of changing the time the overtime. So it
(09:40):
was like another huge play that I always remember that
kind of just untalked, you know, being that I came in,
you were kind of like my mentor. I'm curious to
ask you when you were, you know, rookie second year,
who's kind of that guy you looked up to that
kind of helped you kind of pay the way for
your career. We had multiple guys coming in during that time,
(10:00):
and I think Webby was like maybe the oldest. So
Webby was kind of a guy leaned on the monst um.
But then when Weddle got here, I learned from what
all a lot. Steve Smith, weirdly, somebody I really like
looked up to, like taught me a lot in practice,
talking me about, you know, just covering and all that,
and you know he's Steve. He keeps it on us. So,
you know, people like those type of players I kind
(10:21):
of looked up to, wasn't necessarily somebody in my position.
I don't even know if you remember this. Actually we
were I guess it's about the third year, and I
think you were hurt or something that happened. And I'm
in the hotel. We're playing the Browns and the game
plan I was gonna match Odell and I'm like shitting
(10:41):
in my hotel room and like, I you called me.
I'm like, why did Jimmy call me on Saturday night?
I answered, and You're like, bro, you ready? And I'm like,
what if it was like for the game? I know
you're matching up, and then you started telling me about
how used to do that, and I just remember You're like,
it's gonna be it's gonna be tired, it's gonna be
a Battle's gonna be a battle. And I'm sitting there
and I'm like and I felt like I felt like
(11:03):
then it was like you put a lot of trust
in me to like I felt I was confident I
could do it, but you really helped me with confidence
going into that game. And then I went to sleep
that night, I was like, really just my mom said,
was just like, yeah, I really gotta do this. I
gotta do this, and so I appreciate you for that.
But that was one of the biggest things that that
stuck out to me just being a young guy, and
(11:26):
I felt like I had that day that was that
was that, but that was your fault you had, so
either way it was it was a good I just
remember having so many vets in my room, like Eric
Weddle Webby, you be car and I'm just like, and
it's weird now because it's like, there's not those guys
(11:49):
because I'm that guy. So I uh, funny said that
because you know when you're young, I heard that a
lot too, like hey, we're gonna you know, this turns
over quickly and this team is already like I don't
know half the people on it. You know, it was
number four nine to watch it, but it turns over
so quickly, so you kind of the core people do
stay so when they say, like, cool, you're gonna be here,
(12:11):
Ronnie's gonna be here. So you guys keep traditions, traditions alive,
You keep the organization strong by you guys following that um,
reaching out the players and making sure they're ready to go,
like kind of on your shoulders a little bit. That's
one thing that the older guys really, they took it
upon them. When I first got all the vets, it
just seemed like there was a vet Ran team like
they kind of did it like you know what I mean,
(12:32):
and end up being a young guy seeing it, it
was like, oh wow, I've never I've never watched players
control it the way they did, you know, like obviously
hardball rand show, but like the players, really it is
courage to how it works when you get older. And
then it's like even stuff like turf, I just remember,
you guys should be like, man, that turf hurt being
(12:53):
a young guy like this turf is great in high school,
college loved it. Now yeah, like after my year, after
a few injuries, I'm like, oh man, Like and the
crazy thing is just you don't even realize that the
next year you'll be like starting to fill it in
your back a little bit. That's I don't think it's
that safe, quite honestly, watching watching the kid go down
number three from the Giants, Like, yeah, if it's that bad,
(13:16):
we should all move to grass. It's so many there's
so many little things that I've heard you say and
other guys say, and it's just like you just can't
see it now. I'm like six, I'm like, guys, it
terms a little. It's a little, it's a little rough.
But it's crazy to see as you so obviously same division,
Pittsburgh Steelers, you know, and then Bengals. Out of those
(13:40):
three teams, who was who is your favorite? Robbal to
go up? The Steelers, no question, no question. Now the
tougher rival. Weirdly with Cincinnati, they kind of had our
number for a stretch. They had some good they're good player,
they always have good players, a good team. But it's
division game and all numbers and all records go out
during the Vision and I think got worst year. We
(14:01):
had five wins, and two of them wins we swept
the Steelers, and I don't know what the Steelies record
that year it was, but it was definitely better than ours.
But like everything goes out the window and you're when
you're playing playing a division game. But the Steelers game
was by far my favorite game. Oh, I know, you
and A J had a lot of matchups. You and
A B had a lot of matchups. When you're going
(14:21):
into those that's all as my first gays all I
heard about like, I felt like AB was the hardest
guy to guard. You were like, I kind of lock
them out. I'm just like, that's crazy. What what was
your mindset going into those games? Because I mean, you
have some iconic matchups with both of those guys. I
really just studied the crap. I don't want to be honest.
Everything they did, every route, what route the quarterback like
(14:42):
throwing to him the most, And it's usually in those
rhymeveries for for A B is a smaller guy, so
obviously they can't really see through me. So I'm thinking
stops and back shoulders and slams Like I never wanted
to give A B space. He's too quick, Like I
watched him my rookie year. Dude, Carrie, I'm so bad
that he kind of put fear of me. I was like,
oh wow, did you see, like how I gotta go
(15:03):
against him? And remember Matt. He came to me one day,
like my third year. I was like, you're ready to
lock up? Maybe I'm like, all right, following around, you know, okay,
But it ended up being I just went out there
confident and just trying to be more physical than he is.
I know he's gonna make plays, but I end up
going having a great game, and I just propelled my
confidence going against him. Did you have a favorite my
(15:26):
favorite guy to go up against her or somebody that
you just felt like it was one of the toughest matchups.
Did you have my toughest matchup DeAndre Hopkins? Because it's
it's a physical battle, and obviously he could be more
physical than you. You can't really grab this guy. They're
gonna flag you. But I'm not saying taking nothing away
from the skill. He toasted me like he but it's
(15:47):
like it wasn't just straight speed or like he had
a better outrunning that day. It was just a good day.
But he's he ended up being a tougher opponent for me.
Even watching him on the film, I don't really you know,
sometimes you see somebody else film you're like, okay, all right,
we can get after it, and then you get out
there in the game. He's like, what this is the
same guy my rookie year a good San Diego And
(16:08):
then I can't even think of his name. He's remember eight, um,
Malcolm Floyd. So Michael Floyd kind of looked and I
was a cocky little rookie like so Milcolm Floyd kind
of looked, you know, like not that fast man, Malcolm Man.
Vincent Jackson rest in peace, and Malcolm Floyd. And I
remember seeing like, okay, like we know about Vincent, but
(16:30):
Mike like okay, but he was sneaky. This man torched
me a scam at home. Have all my family come
of this game in San Diego. But it was like
it was that. After that, I was like, you can't
take anybody for granted. You can't just look at somebody like,
oh he's slow, you can't you know what I mean.
But he he gave me a good little a little whooping. Yeah.
(16:50):
You always got to respect everybody when you it just
got into a long game. If you don't, it can
get bad. Obviously. Um, you in a lot of the
same stadiums. Favorite stadium to player, Oh, I like the
cheese like stadium. It's pretty there close there's a lot
(17:11):
of statium was too close. Yes, it was when we
went seventeen when we tied them and they beat us
an overtime at their stadium. I think the first time
Lamar's plane. Yeah, that game was that that was the
screen pass losting over time. It was just that that
game was extremely out like and I was like, maybe
(17:34):
the second time I've been in that stadium, I just
kind of I like how they have the chance they
got the Oh yeah, any any any stadium that kind
of has something in Unison kind of like texting, um
does this? Any any stadium that has something that they
do in Unis And I think it's pretty cool. I
like the other stadium. Look, I like their stadium. Look there,
(17:56):
it is surprobably loud, and it's not even closed there.
I feel like the back part is open or has
a weird well. And I owned the old Hines Field,
But I don't know what they're changing their name to. Oh,
talking about Pittsburg. Pittsburgh's I never liked the grass there,
but I love I love playing there. That's that's that's
(18:16):
my favorite place to play. UM Ravens fans, You've had
the same fans consistently, How would you describe Ravens fans honest,
brutally honest. They will tell you about your performance, no problems,
but they live and die for their Ravens. You know.
Like I go around now and like this morning, I
(18:38):
was putting air in my tire and you know, I
got nervous gonna see a car parked and he parked
wearily by himself. I'm like in tennis out, I just
pumping the gas, looking and then he hops out and
he looks at me, and I'm just like and I
got less. I was comfortable when I see him, how
about yapp out in the suit, but he was just
staring at me. But then when I pulled it, and
(18:58):
when I got I got up, I looked over. There's
another guy with a Ravens hat on, just kind of
looking at me. And then I just kind of looked
over another guy. I'm like, why is this? Dudes look
at me. I'm trying to go back and he goes
Jimmy and I'm just like, hey, what's up here? Like
hey man, we love you, this like love, you know
what I mean? They come up, took pictures. You know,
I'm always showing love, but uh, they really, they really
(19:20):
love you out here, so I ain't left yet. They
love the Ravens, Jimmy. The Cleats gotta come to it
and they always do. I know you said you take
your kids to school. Now what is next for Jimmy Smith?
Next is just traveling, like spending time with the family. Um.
I tried to immediately take some workshops and look at
(19:43):
franchise and then start, you know, getting into the afterlife.
But I was like a kind of like the weights,
like I'll get to it. Like I'm not in a rush.
There's no rush to do it. You know, it's not
a need for anything. Um. But you know, somebody also
told me, like do something you love now. You know,
it's difficult to find that out or figure out what
you really love after you've been doing something you've been
(20:04):
you love for a long time. So it's kind of
like I'm gonna give my myself some time to figure
out what it is and I truly want to do. Man,
do you got something to do after you do something
you've already loved? Like it? Jimmy, thank you for your time.
Enjoy retirement and find that love
Jimmy, the cleats gotta come to it, and they always do.
I know you said you take your kids to school.
Now what is next for Jimmy Smith. I tried to
immediately take some workshops and look at franchise and then start,
you know, getting into afterlife. But it was like a
kind of like the weights, like I'll get to it.
Like I'm not in the rush. There's no rush to
(00:20):
do it. But you know, somebody also told me, like
do something you love. Now. You know, it's difficult to
find that out, figure out what you really love after
you've been doing something that you love for a long time.
So it's kind of like I'm gonna give my myself
some time to figure it out what it is, and
I truly want to do Carlin Humphrey is, without a
(00:41):
doubt in the conversation to be the best coming in football.
We are here at Studio forty four. A special addition,
I had a guest who just recently retired on a
great career, one of the radist Ravens, to put on
(01:01):
the jersey. Jimmy Smith, how are we doing today? I'm
doing excellent, Jimmy. The news came recently, obviously with the retirement.
What kind of led you to kind of finally hang
up the cleets at the end of the last season
just listening to my body. It was really calling, and
I'm kind of tired of, you know, getting injured and
(01:25):
coming back all the time and fighting that. So I
just really listened to my body. So since then, I
just kind of been calmed down and I haven't really
worked out too much. I just relaxed at home and
visit a lot of families. So it's kind of my
decided fact was like, you know, I kind of enjoyed
this and I'm good, and I'm good. We talked about
working out. I was I was saying, we're down a
couple of guys, you know, we could always and you
(01:47):
said you haven't done much working out recently, so that
that was was gonna be a question I had later.
But I got the gym down there, I went, I
went down there, I got the workout from my guy.
I've seen the I've seen the pay It was a
full body, full body got down there and started to
stretching and was like, I'm not ready yet. It's not time.
It's not quite time. And this is like maybe like
(02:09):
a month ago. So that would be the first time
I even looked at some mines. You gut us listen
to the body. I remember the first time I I
get here and they're talking about Jimmy Smith chut down,
shut down, and I'm like, I didn't watch NFLM grown
ups all in Alabama. It's all album football, arm and football.
So I get here and I'm like, all right, so
just like that's him right there, and I'm like, you
(02:31):
looked like that was the all season. You have to
stop benching so much. And they were like, bro, you're
just putting on too much mustle, and I was just like, crap,
this is Jimmy Smith. And then I put on the
tape and you're jamming people like crazy, and I was like, this,
dude's crazy. But that was my first first impression. But
back to retirement. Was it kind of hard for you
(02:53):
to you know? It wasn't like an immediate season ending
type thing, was I know. I'm sure it was a
lot what kind up emotions went through the head as
you were decided to finally make it the decision? Um, well,
I knew one thing for Cheryl, I wasn't gonna play
for one team, so it was easy for me to
kind of already make a decision knowing that they probably
weren't gonna mess with me again after that. So you know,
(03:16):
it was aided even if I wanted to continue to play,
I knew my heart was here, so um, the decision.
It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be,
but it is. It is. It is hard, I guess
in a way because I missed the guys. I missed
you know, all that like seeing you guys go back
to camp. I was like, oh man, it's already that time. Like,
you know, you don't realize how how quickly time goes by,
(03:37):
kind of weirdly, I missed the structure of every day
getting up doing something right now, it's just kind of loose.
I get up to take the kids to school and
then just playing video games. So it's like, you know,
it's kind of one of those decisions that kind of
like kind of follow your heart. Like I knew it.
I knew it. You know, you've heard me said, so
I knew it was just to stay true to myself
(03:59):
speaking on a team. I actually before I did this,
I looked up your initial draft class and I was
just like, it's crazy, how many guys. Some guys going
to sign a big deal to the other teams. Some
guys just don't make it out. I think from someone
you know, before I got in the NFL, it seems
like one team paying one teams pretty easy. But getting
in the league and you see for one team to
(04:20):
stick around for ten years, it shows so much willing
really for the player. How does it feel for you
to have only worn one jersey in this league? It
feels amazing. Um, that's kind of one of the one
of the things I'm most proud of is that I
stuck it out here. Also, I mean Ravens have something
to do with that too. I had some ups and
downs and they stuck with me as well. So um,
(04:41):
but yeah, I mean when I got hurt back at
what FOURT team, when I was getting signed, the guy
and everybody thought about getting a bigger contract, was always
about staying here. And I think it's just being a Leo.
I'm just super loyal. So you know, it's like I said,
it's one of the more prouder things I am of
being being a Raves, sticking them through eleven years. Yeah,
So did you ever was there ever even a small
(05:03):
thought of ever leaving here was always just like this
is home, this is family. The year before too, I
think with your fourth year, maybe your third year, um,
when I was sending another one year deal, I had
some other offers that we weren't crazy, but they're a
little bit better than the Ravens. But wow, like just
committed here. It's like, you know, it's home. Were long thing.
(05:25):
We're going so consistently playing. I know you, I mean
early on in your career you want a super Bowl?
What was something I'm curious was there anything that from
your rookie year to your last year. I know there's
from rural changes to this and that. Is there anything
that you can think of that was just like a
really big change is just as far as just how
(05:46):
the building was, how the teams were. You know, you've
been with Ray and those guys. You've you've seen so
many different eras of teams. Is there anything that sticks
out as you get older? I guess hardball got a
little bit a little tiny bit after not not much
like he's still still you know, it's warmer still right now,
like he's you know, Other than that, nothing really has
(06:06):
changed much. Do you get the same type of good
hearted ball players that you know, not choir boys, but
like good, good people that getting after and work hard.
So it's like that that culture always remains. I know
you and hardball were really close. What's kind of something
that you know between you and him? We have kind
of that made you guys so close. Like I remember,
(06:27):
but you told me sometimes you would just reach out
to Harbor just talk about life, not even about football.
What was something about hardball that's just and as it actually, honestly,
as I've gotten older, I've really gotten like close myself.
Like I remember, I'm a lie. Like early on, I
was just like, bro, I don't know what talking about like,
and then as I've grown on, I really started to
(06:48):
grow more love for hardball in the off season, just
have just a conversation not even about ball. And so
what what was that with you with Harves? Just you know,
he always challenged me, He always the he was always
there for me, you know, making sure we're you know,
heads on straight, and went, like I said earlier, went
to a whole lot of stuff. And during that time
he was it was there for me. And you know,
(07:08):
as a player, you can you always look up to
your coaches as role models. As mentors. So you kind
of watch somebody for eleven years and you see them
what he teaches, the lessons they put out, and if
he walks it or he just talks it, and he's
a person that walks it, he's actually who he says
he is. He's very honest. He will tell you if
you're getting burnt up, he will tell you if you're
acting out. You know, he'll tell you all those things.
(07:30):
I remember remember one story like and I've never sagged again.
I was got on the plane one time and hardballs
and this is always young too. He gets got on
the plane, he said, looked at me. He looked at
me like Jimmy. I was like, yeah, what's up? And
he was just like your pants like grows grow up.
And I'm just like, oh, and from that day, like
I'm never gonna sag again. I was embarrassing. But it
(07:51):
was like small things like that, Little little things like
that that helped me grow up, becoming man, more mature. Um.
But watching him, watching those lessons, watching him teach it
just it rubs off on you. Back to kind of
switching gears a little bit of football. You've had obviously
a lot of years playing in this league. I know
(08:12):
you had a huge game when he playing the Super Bowl.
Is there besides that play? Is there another play that
kind of just sticks out? I mean there's I can
think of a lot myself. When you had two pigs
against the Browns, there's I mean it goes on and on.
But is there a certain player, a couple of plays
that you just remember that just stick out, that you'll
just feel like you'll never forget. Yeah, but they're not good.
(08:34):
I mean the worst I've ever been beaten, I was
by Mariti Cooper. He hit me and I had a confidence.
Second down, I made a play on like a slant
here and like batter it down. And then they come
at third down something cocky in his face and this
is fresh off in this rank to just being silly,
and he hit me on a post corner and he
(08:56):
was already on the corner and I was still reacting
to the post and caught the ball and just took
straight off down the sideline. And the reason that sticks
out because I've never be there, but I didn't know
what to do. I ran off the sideline. I was
just like WHOA, that's never even happened in college, Like
it's never happened in practice. It was just one of
those plays, um on a good play, one player that
kind of goes. It was a great play that you know,
(09:18):
at that time, I was upset, but it was a play.
Then in the differ Broncos game, we had that returner
had took him two back on him already and they
were kicking it deep to him, and I remember coach
Jerry just like y'all go out there and like make
a play. And we went down there and I end
up tackled them down at the five and I ended
up kind of changing the time the overtime. So it
(09:40):
was like another huge play that I always remember that
kind of just untalked, you know, being that I came in,
you were kind of like my mentor. I'm curious to
ask you when you were, you know, rookie second year,
who's kind of that guy you looked up to that
kind of helped you kind of pay the way for
your career. We had multiple guys coming in during that time,
(10:00):
and I think Webby was like maybe the oldest. So
Webby was kind of a guy leaned on the monst um.
But then when Weddle got here, I learned from what
all a lot. Steve Smith, weirdly, somebody I really like
looked up to, like taught me a lot in practice,
talking me about, you know, just covering and all that,
and you know he's Steve. He keeps it on us. So,
you know, people like those type of players I kind
(10:21):
of looked up to, wasn't necessarily somebody in my position.
I don't even know if you remember this. Actually we
were I guess it's about the third year, and I
think you were hurt or something that happened. And I'm
in the hotel. We're playing the Browns and the game
plan I was gonna match Odell and I'm like shitting
(10:41):
in my hotel room and like, I you called me.
I'm like, why did Jimmy call me on Saturday night?
I answered, and You're like, bro, you ready? And I'm like,
what if it was like for the game? I know
you're matching up, and then you started telling me about
how used to do that, and I just remember You're like,
it's gonna be it's gonna be tired, it's gonna be
a Battle's gonna be a battle. And I'm sitting there
and I'm like and I felt like I felt like
(11:03):
then it was like you put a lot of trust
in me to like I felt I was confident I
could do it, but you really helped me with confidence
going into that game. And then I went to sleep
that night, I was like, really just my mom said,
was just like, yeah, I really gotta do this. I
gotta do this, and so I appreciate you for that.
But that was one of the biggest things that that
stuck out to me just being a young guy, and
(11:26):
I felt like I had that day that was that
was that, but that was your fault you had, so
either way it was it was a good I just
remember having so many vets in my room, like Eric
Weddle Webby, you be car and I'm just like, and
it's weird now because it's like, there's not those guys
(11:49):
because I'm that guy. So I uh, funny said that
because you know when you're young, I heard that a
lot too, like hey, we're gonna you know, this turns
over quickly and this team is already like I don't
know half the people on it. You know, it was
number four nine to watch it, but it turns over
so quickly, so you kind of the core people do
stay so when they say, like, cool, you're gonna be here,
(12:11):
Ronnie's gonna be here. So you guys keep traditions, traditions alive,
You keep the organization strong by you guys following that um,
reaching out the players and making sure they're ready to go,
like kind of on your shoulders a little bit. That's
one thing that the older guys really, they took it
upon them. When I first got all the vets, it
just seemed like there was a vet Ran team like
they kind of did it like you know what I mean,
(12:32):
and end up being a young guy seeing it, it
was like, oh wow, I've never I've never watched players
control it the way they did, you know, like obviously
hardball rand show, but like the players, really it is
courage to how it works when you get older. And
then it's like even stuff like turf, I just remember,
you guys should be like, man, that turf hurt being
(12:53):
a young guy like this turf is great in high school,
college loved it. Now yeah, like after my year, after
a few injuries, I'm like, oh man, Like and the
crazy thing is just you don't even realize that the
next year you'll be like starting to fill it in
your back a little bit. That's I don't think it's
that safe, quite honestly, watching watching the kid go down
number three from the Giants, Like, yeah, if it's that bad,
(13:16):
we should all move to grass. It's so many there's
so many little things that I've heard you say and
other guys say, and it's just like you just can't
see it now. I'm like six, I'm like, guys, it
terms a little. It's a little, it's a little rough.
But it's crazy to see as you so obviously same division,
Pittsburgh Steelers, you know, and then Bengals. Out of those
(13:40):
three teams, who was who is your favorite? Robbal to
go up? The Steelers, no question, no question. Now the
tougher rival. Weirdly with Cincinnati, they kind of had our
number for a stretch. They had some good they're good player,
they always have good players, a good team. But it's
division game and all numbers and all records go out
during the Vision and I think got worst year. We
(14:01):
had five wins, and two of them wins we swept
the Steelers, and I don't know what the Steelies record
that year it was, but it was definitely better than ours.
But like everything goes out the window and you're when
you're playing playing a division game. But the Steelers game
was by far my favorite game. Oh, I know, you
and A J had a lot of matchups. You and
A B had a lot of matchups. When you're going
(14:21):
into those that's all as my first gays all I
heard about like, I felt like AB was the hardest
guy to guard. You were like, I kind of lock
them out. I'm just like, that's crazy. What what was
your mindset going into those games? Because I mean, you
have some iconic matchups with both of those guys. I
really just studied the crap. I don't want to be honest.
Everything they did, every route, what route the quarterback like
(14:42):
throwing to him the most, And it's usually in those
rhymeveries for for A B is a smaller guy, so
obviously they can't really see through me. So I'm thinking
stops and back shoulders and slams Like I never wanted
to give A B space. He's too quick, Like I
watched him my rookie year. Dude, Carrie, I'm so bad
that he kind of put fear of me. I was like,
oh wow, did you see, like how I gotta go
(15:03):
against him? And remember Matt. He came to me one day,
like my third year. I was like, you're ready to
lock up? Maybe I'm like, all right, following around, you know, okay,
But it ended up being I just went out there
confident and just trying to be more physical than he is.
I know he's gonna make plays, but I end up
going having a great game, and I just propelled my
confidence going against him. Did you have a favorite my
(15:26):
favorite guy to go up against her or somebody that
you just felt like it was one of the toughest matchups.
Did you have my toughest matchup DeAndre Hopkins? Because it's
it's a physical battle, and obviously he could be more
physical than you. You can't really grab this guy. They're
gonna flag you. But I'm not saying taking nothing away
from the skill. He toasted me like he but it's
(15:47):
like it wasn't just straight speed or like he had
a better outrunning that day. It was just a good day.
But he's he ended up being a tougher opponent for me.
Even watching him on the film, I don't really you know,
sometimes you see somebody else film you're like, okay, all right,
we can get after it, and then you get out
there in the game. He's like, what this is the
same guy my rookie year a good San Diego And
(16:08):
then I can't even think of his name. He's remember eight, um,
Malcolm Floyd. So Michael Floyd kind of looked and I
was a cocky little rookie like so Milcolm Floyd kind
of looked, you know, like not that fast man, Malcolm Man.
Vincent Jackson rest in peace, and Malcolm Floyd. And I
remember seeing like, okay, like we know about Vincent, but
(16:30):
Mike like okay, but he was sneaky. This man torched
me a scam at home. Have all my family come
of this game in San Diego. But it was like
it was that. After that, I was like, you can't
take anybody for granted. You can't just look at somebody like,
oh he's slow, you can't you know what I mean.
But he he gave me a good little a little whooping. Yeah.
(16:50):
You always got to respect everybody when you it just
got into a long game. If you don't, it can
get bad. Obviously. Um, you in a lot of the
same stadiums. Favorite stadium to player, Oh, I like the
cheese like stadium. It's pretty there close there's a lot
(17:11):
of statium was too close. Yes, it was when we
went seventeen when we tied them and they beat us
an overtime at their stadium. I think the first time
Lamar's plane. Yeah, that game was that that was the
screen pass losting over time. It was just that that
game was extremely out like and I was like, maybe
(17:34):
the second time I've been in that stadium, I just
kind of I like how they have the chance they
got the Oh yeah, any any any stadium that kind
of has something in Unison kind of like texting, um
does this? Any any stadium that has something that they
do in Unis And I think it's pretty cool. I
like the other stadium. Look, I like their stadium. Look there,
(17:56):
it is surprobably loud, and it's not even closed there.
I feel like the back part is open or has
a weird well. And I owned the old Hines Field,
But I don't know what they're changing their name to. Oh,
talking about Pittsburg. Pittsburgh's I never liked the grass there,
but I love I love playing there. That's that's that's
(18:16):
my favorite place to play. UM Ravens fans, You've had
the same fans consistently, How would you describe Ravens fans honest,
brutally honest. They will tell you about your performance, no problems,
but they live and die for their Ravens. You know.
Like I go around now and like this morning, I
(18:38):
was putting air in my tire and you know, I
got nervous gonna see a car parked and he parked
wearily by himself. I'm like in tennis out, I just
pumping the gas, looking and then he hops out and
he looks at me, and I'm just like and I
got less. I was comfortable when I see him, how
about yapp out in the suit, but he was just
staring at me. But then when I pulled it, and
(18:58):
when I got I got up, I looked over. There's
another guy with a Ravens hat on, just kind of
looking at me. And then I just kind of looked
over another guy. I'm like, why is this? Dudes look
at me. I'm trying to go back and he goes
Jimmy and I'm just like, hey, what's up here? Like
hey man, we love you, this like love, you know
what I mean? They come up, took pictures. You know,
I'm always showing love, but uh, they really, they really
(19:20):
love you out here, so I ain't left yet. They
love the Ravens, Jimmy. The Cleats gotta come to it
and they always do. I know you said you take
your kids to school. Now what is next for Jimmy Smith?
Next is just traveling, like spending time with the family. Um.
I tried to immediately take some workshops and look at
(19:43):
franchise and then start, you know, getting into the afterlife.
But I was like a kind of like the weights,
like I'll get to it. Like I'm not in a rush.
There's no rush to do it. You know, it's not
a need for anything. Um. But you know, somebody also
told me, like do something you love now. You know,
it's difficult to find that out or figure out what
you really love after you've been doing something you've been
(20:04):
you love for a long time. So it's kind of
like I'm gonna give my myself some time to figure
out what it is and I truly want to do. Man,
do you got something to do after you do something
you've already loved? Like it? Jimmy, thank you for your time.
Enjoy retirement and find that love
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