Two weeks after he was released by the Carolina Panthers, Torrey Smith has called it a career, announcing Friday his retirement from NFL after eight seasons in the league. A two-time Super Bowl champion, the 30-year-old Smith explained the decision in a video for Uninterrupted, saying "it's the NFL circle of life" and that he's "been preparing for it my entire career."
Smith was last seen with the Panthers, starting six games for Carolina in 2018 before competing for a reserve role this summer. He's perhaps best known, however, for his time with both the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles.
Originally a second-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2011, the Maryland product spent the first four years of his career there, eclipsing 750 receiving yards each season and peaking with a 1,100-yard campaign the year after his big-play speed helped Joe Flacco and Co. win Super Bowl XLVII. Signed by the Eagles after a two-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, he spent just one season in Philadelphia but played a pivotal role as a deep threat during the team's 2017 playoff run and first-ever Super Bowl victory.
Traded to the Panthers a month after capturing his second ring, Smith was limited to 11 games in his Carolina debut but remained on the forefront of player activism off the field. Community initiatives will remain Smith's focus away from the game, the receiver announced in his farewell, with the eight-year veteran specifically focusing on work in his longtime home of Baltimore.
