Retirement Chatter From Daryl Smith
July 1st, 2016
Is this season a retirement tour for new Bucs linebacker Daryl Smith?
Buccaneers’ new linebacker Daryl Smith, the 34-year-old elder statesman of the club, is not beating his chest and barking about playing a lot more football.
The comments came during a SiriusXM NFL Radio interview recently with hosts Alex Marvez and Kirk Morrison. Joe respects Smith for keeping it real. But that real talk got Joe feeling a little uneasy.
“That’s a tough question. I mean, I really don’t know,” Smith said when asked if 2016 is the end of his football career.
“I mean, I think I’ve been telling my wife it’s maybe my last year for the last two or three years. I still love the game and I feel good. So I don’t know. I don’t know. But once it’s over and done with, I plan to go back to school and finish up my degree. … I’m excited about that, too. You can’t play football forever.”
Perhaps what got Joe to pay extra attention was Smith’s sort of pensive, somber tone when answering. He didn’t sound like a guy counting on another season.
This is certainly not surprise commentary from a guy with a one-year contract who has started 172 games. But still, there are plenty of players Smith’s age who don’t entertain retirement, especially not publicly.
On the upside, Smith said he is fired up to hit people, stating he hopes to “be a fullback for Lavonte David,” freeing him up to make more plays. Smith’s renowned instincts and knowledge of Mike Smith’s defense should make him a great candidate to do just that.
July 1st, 2016 at 11:26 am
Not to take anything away from Smith or his career, but if we’re counting heavily on a 34 year old linebacker coming off an injury to make our defense a whole lot better……..we have some serious freaking issues. I’m glad we’ve made all the moves we have this season, but I was never counting on Smith being much more than a mentor to our young linebackers like Kwon. To expect a whole lot more is just pie-in-the-sky thinking in my book. If we can can et one solid year out of him I’ll be happy. But it sounds like he may not even want to give us that!
July 1st, 2016 at 11:41 am
Cant fix every position in one or two seasons. Glad he is here for now to teach and play. Either way we are better now than we have been in a long time. I don’t feel it’s offseason optimismn anymore, I feel it’s a legit chance they do good things this year!
Go Bucs!
July 1st, 2016 at 11:47 am
I just hope he stays healthy THIS year. If he goes down to injury, he can get a payday AND retire early.
This is one of those signing in free agency that Licht does that makes me scratch my head. Had Licht gone younger, we would at least have the potential to keep said player around a couple years if he was good enough.
So LB can be marked down as a big need next year.
July 1st, 2016 at 1:05 pm
SLB is like the least priority position on a defense anymore. What, 40% of the time they’re on the field? Yeah it’s excellent to have his experience to mentor our guys, but to say next year we need to prioritize SLB is a huge reach. WR is a place I’d rather put some energy. Or SAFETY!
July 1st, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Yea Bonzai – How stupid to sign a “bridge” LB to a 1 year deal – who over the last 3 years hasn’t missed a game and produced 371 tackles (5th most in the whole NFL), 9 sacks, 5 Ints, 29 passes defensed and 7 forced fumbles.
Why sign that guy? SMH
July 1st, 2016 at 1:24 pm
Even at 34 – Daryl Smith is a big upgrade from Danny Lansanah IMO.
July 1st, 2016 at 1:36 pm
I see a floppy hat in his near future.
July 1st, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I can see a size 12 in your rear end in your near future stfu
July 1st, 2016 at 3:14 pm
Any news on the LB Bond we drafted? Maybe he will be ready next year. Also he some good pass rushing skills did he move to DE?
July 1st, 2016 at 4:21 pm
Adarius Glanton is a good SAM linebacker for the Bucs.
July 1st, 2016 at 4:43 pm
Mankins went through the same exact thought process I’m sure. But he was the consummate professional … just like Daryl Smith is … and gave us his all every play, every game. The reality that you can’t play forever hits every player in every professional sport more than likely. I’m thrilled that we signed Daryl, even if he decides to retire at the end of this year. Every team needs ‘bridge players’ because dynasties can’t be built in one year.
July 1st, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Glad to see that the Joes are only putting out a few articles a day right now. They deserve a bit of a vacation. Have a great 4th Joes
July 1st, 2016 at 4:59 pm
I can’t say there is anything surprising or worrisome about Daryl Smith’s comments. We obviously know he doesn’t have 5 years left in the tank. He is here to try to get some normalcy in the LB corps and teach these young guys what it takes to succeed for a long time at a high level in the NFL.
I read that Akeem Spence would like to stay in Tampa beyond this year. We now have a staff and a team with plenty of potential that guys actually want to stay or come to Tampa. That’s a big difference from recent years past.
July 1st, 2016 at 10:28 pm
Daryl Smith 2016 = Rufus Porter 1997
July 2nd, 2016 at 12:06 am
I believe this signing was to have a winning voice in the defensive huddle he has been apart of a Super Bowl winning team sometimes it takes players who have been there to teach young players who are accustom to losing how to win I like the move based on the things he will teach Kwon, Lavonte, and I like the Cassanova kid out of auburn to take his place
July 2nd, 2016 at 12:58 am
At 34 yrs old, we signed him as a gap player. He is filling the gap until we can find our Sam backer of the future. lets not act like anyone expected him to be around for the next 5 years, he only signed a 1 yr deal. He fills an immediate hole that the staff thought we had at that position.
Knowing how he feels about retirement, it will be easy to start to find his replacement and groom someone to replace smith in the next yr or 2.
July 2nd, 2016 at 3:22 pm
He wants to play football in 2016 that’s all that matters. I bet if the team can win around him and Daryl can play at a high level and makes plays hell have enough fun and wanna come back in 2017 to make a run.
I could be way off base but I think Jason mainly signed him because he has a ton of experience and has been around some great defensive minds. Even if Smiths body breaks down and he can’t make an impact he can help our linebackers by Sharing valuable knowledge.kwon and Levante could get even better this year because of Daryl. The rookie LB we drafted has a very nice position here if he’s willing to take it. He has no pressure and all he has to do is learn everything he can, and he has a great group of talent to sponge off of. This rookie will have no excuses……when he gets his shot he will be making plays if he has enough ability, He will never get as good an opportunity as the one he has right now in Tampa.