“I Played With A Lot More Injuries Than I Probably Should Have”
May 25th, 2023
Former Bucs ironman left tackle Donovan Smith.
Patrick Mahomes’ new bodyguard was at a microphone yesterday.
Joe’s referring to the man who logged 131 games as a Buccaneers left tackle, Donovan Smith.
Smith said at a Chiefs news conference yesterday that multiple teams were after him in free agency. Kansas City gave him a chance to chase another ring, Smith said, so there he is after a season that saw his body break down in Tampa.
“[Last season with the Bucs] was a little frustrating. I mean, obviously, you know, I played with a lot more injuries than I probably should have,” Smith said. “But it’s just something that we do. We go out there, we sacrifice our bodies to go out there for the greater good of the team. … New beginning. New journey. I’m healthy. I’m fresh. And I’m feeling real good.”
Interesting to Joe was hearing Smith talk about how he’s feeling great about going to a team with an offensive line culture. Chiefs O-line coach Andy Heck was a starting left tackle in the NFL for many years and head coach Andy Reid has his roots in the offensive line.
Smith also didn’t answer a question asking whether returning to the Bucs was on the table for him in free agency.
May 25th, 2023 at 8:42 am
He prolly go Pro Bowl and another ring. Another routine Par.
May 25th, 2023 at 8:43 am
My lasting image of Donnie is him standing there with his hands on his hips while Brady picks himself up off the turf
May 25th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Best of luck to Donnie, he and Jawaan Taylor might make the pro bowl and be a top OT duo this season if they can both stay healthy.
May 25th, 2023 at 8:47 am
So last year not only did Bucs have 2 backups and an overrated RG playing interior OLine, but the LT wasn’t 100% – no wonder the offense was dismal.
May 25th, 2023 at 8:48 am
Was he playing with multiple injuries when he sucked in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 when he was one of the worst ranked starting left tackles in the NFL?
He had two decent years after Brady and his quick release came to town. Then he followed up with another horrible season that got him fired…
Two mediocre seasons and 5 bad seasons and this guy has made enough money to buy a small island.
What a joke. I hope he gets Mahomes crushed next season. It will be fun to watch them implode.
May 25th, 2023 at 8:55 am
I’m sure K.C. would rather have Wirfs playing LT. We do.
May 25th, 2023 at 9:06 am
He is probably right, Donnie played injured all season long and it was pretty obvious, but you play because they pay you tons of money, wich is perfectly fine….
May 25th, 2023 at 9:13 am
They are gonna love The Eraser in KC. Especially the third time a patented deep-in-enemy-territory holding call takes a touchdown off the board or a lazy start to a play gets their QB killed.
May 25th, 2023 at 9:16 am
Nobody made you do it, in fact Bucs fans were begging you to just sit, get healthy and deal with whatever issues you were going threw off the field. I won’t go as far as mental midget but come on man if you had played better or say out while injured you’d still be here
May 25th, 2023 at 9:28 am
Exactly what @Marine Buc said
May 25th, 2023 at 9:33 am
I’m happy for him and his family. Congratulation Donavan, I hope you win another Super Bowl
May 25th, 2023 at 9:35 am
I never hated Smith or anything, he was okay at times, terrible at other times. Ready to turn the page and see how Wirfs does on the blind side.
May 25th, 2023 at 9:42 am
He used the personal problems excuse last year. Now it’s the injuries. Good for him & the Bucs to both have a fresh start.
May 25th, 2023 at 9:45 am
Who will the haters pick for there new punching bag this year
May 25th, 2023 at 9:50 am
Some players earn punching bag status… Like having the most penalties in the league at your position over the course of your career.
May 25th, 2023 at 9:53 am
“I played poywith a lot more injuries than I probably should have.” Fixed it for you Donny.
May 25th, 2023 at 9:55 am
DSmith is EXACTLY what his draft bio said he was
Uber talent- middling effort
When he wants to he does, when he is in his head he is lazy
Plain and simple
Brady got his attention for awhile
Let him get Patty smashed a few times and they will understand what most of us already do
May 25th, 2023 at 10:18 am
Must have been hurt his whole career
May 25th, 2023 at 10:18 am
We won a super bowl and almost made it to another with this guy. I understand the hate because of some of the mistakes but it is not like this guy was a top 10 pick. He went 2nd round. Tampa got over 124 starts out of that pick. A lot of guys are busts. This guy was not. There were 4 other tackles drafted before Smith. Only Andrus Peat has had a more successful career and he was drafted 13th. Peat has missed the equivalent of two seasons due to injury. Smith only missed 6 games. And in case anyone digs deeper, yes Brandon Scherff was drafted as a tackle 5th overall and has the most pro bowls and AP1’s, but he was switched to guard.
May 25th, 2023 at 10:36 am
This argument that having a bunch of starts = you’re a good player is nonsense. Many bad teams fill starting roster spots with backup quality players. Chris Conte had 93 starts in 104 career games. Do you think he was a “good” player too?
May 25th, 2023 at 10:54 am
He played with one arm basically
This one is gonna comeback and haunt us
May 25th, 2023 at 11:12 am
@Marine Buc
Exactly my first thought.
He’s always been a sloppy technician. His set is sloppy, his punch is sloppy. It’s just magnified when he’s injured. The most telling thing about him is that there was never much let down when he was out and a backup was in.
May 25th, 2023 at 11:57 am
They’re going to start Wirfs in Donnie’s spot…I like the trade out.
Wirfs is going to get it done.
Go Bucs!!!
May 25th, 2023 at 12:54 pm
Not a Buc … Don’t care.
May 25th, 2023 at 12:54 pm
Availability is a big deal at that position, and in particular for a team like the Chefs. His play is not going to make or break the success of that offense. Mahommes is not the statue that Brady was, and is quite capable of rolling out to right and finding Kelce downfield. Donnie is likely to get another ring or two. Grateful that he got us one in Tampa.
May 25th, 2023 at 1:06 pm
Donnie is a great guy. He was a steal in the 2nd round. It was just time for the Bucs to make a change. I wish him the best of luck in the future. I hope he make his home here in Tampa when it’s all done.
May 25th, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Jeff’s grandpa Says:
“Who will the haters pick for there new punching bag this year.”
.
.
Diva already picked himself out of the crowd.
May 25th, 2023 at 1:33 pm
@ gotbbucs
I agree. Dude was sloppy and lazy – that’s where all the holding penalties came from…
I’m glad he is now starting for the Chiefs. See what happens when you are forced to pay a QB $50M per season? You end up with a broken down Donnie Smith as your starting left tackle.
I can’t wait to watch that team implode.
May 25th, 2023 at 2:03 pm
You morons saying he could be a probowler are delusional. He has never been close to that. He’s just durable. Every scout had him projected as a guard coming out the draft because he wasn’t athletic enough for elite edge rushers. Go look them up, and they were right
May 25th, 2023 at 2:05 pm
donnie’s got it good now…
joins a great team, and his qb is a scrambling magician who knows how to avoid the sack-meisters
May 25th, 2023 at 2:06 pm
Look forward to watching this big man try to block for runaround QB Mahomes. Brady was the fastest to get the ball out, yet DSmith had to put somebody in a headlock over and over because he could not bother with tecchnique. Red zone negated touchdowns, red zone penalties, he was garbage for us and maybe he will be motivated for KC but for us he was not worth a nickel!
May 25th, 2023 at 2:08 pm
I like what Marine Buc said
May 25th, 2023 at 2:27 pm
The salary cap is why he was not resigned. Management knew he played injured and appreciated it but he was just the odd man out.
May 25th, 2023 at 3:39 pm
AtlBuc Says:
May 25th, 2023 at 2:27 pm
The salary cap is why he was not resigned. Management knew he played injured and appreciated it but he was just the odd man out.
Had he played decent like Wirfs or not been a penalty magnet or not had 5 garbage seasons including his last one with Brady! he would of been resigned he was more than just the odd man out
May 25th, 2023 at 3:44 pm
Dude always was marginal
Never understood why we didn’t replace him
May 25th, 2023 at 5:17 pm
Smith probably plays lights out for the Chiefs. Many players leave us and do better.
May 25th, 2023 at 5:50 pm
Donovan was good enough, to help the Bucs win a Super Bowl.
Very few, have done what he did.
May 25th, 2023 at 5:53 pm
Destinjohnny Says:
“Never understood why we didn’t replace him.”
.
.
I think it’s a testament to how hard it is to find good left tackles. It actually could have been worse.
May 25th, 2023 at 6:43 pm
Excuses are like aholes Donny. You have turned into a holding machine with no power in the run game. You are the weakest link. Bu bye
May 25th, 2023 at 6:46 pm
Sorry but he’s getting long in the tooth with a lot of hard miles on his body. He’s going to get injured again and it won’t take long. He can then sit back and collect that big paycheck. I don’t think Smith’s heart is in it anymore. And it was only really there when TB12 showed up. Bad move by the Chiefs in my opinion. He helped get us a Championship but he won’t be missed. Later dude.
May 25th, 2023 at 6:47 pm
The Jets will win the AFC this season.
May 25th, 2023 at 8:22 pm
@BigMacAttack:
i was just studying the jets schedule…that sh!t is tough…omg…take a look…
the jets are a good team, but i have them at 10-7…
3 in division losses with splitting the pair of games with all their rivals…
and i see 4 more losses along the way…
with a really tough first 6 games before their bye…
i say their high win potential is 11-6…
but as i went thru it multiple times, i have them at 10-7
May 25th, 2023 at 10:33 pm
At least 53 players get a ring every year, many of which are not integral to the team’s success. A Super Bowl winning organization is granted up to 150 rings for players, coaches, and staff. The owner can also choose to craft more at their own expense.
Many have done what Donny has done.
May 25th, 2023 at 10:48 pm
Smith is going to help KC lose. I love it.
May 25th, 2023 at 11:25 pm
he had a good run. thank you donnie
now wirfs at LT is exciting asf
May 26th, 2023 at 12:32 am
We basically lost three starting offensive linemen and had a statue at QB. Having a revamped line with a QB who can run a bootleg will make us so much better. Why everyone is down on this team is beyond me
May 26th, 2023 at 12:49 am
Don’t care