Panthers fans were generally irate when their team cut beloved Steve Smith in March, leading the Pro Bowl receiver to sign a three-year deal with the Ravens.
As if that fire needed more fuel, Smith told SI.com's Don Banks on Wednesday that the previously lifelong Panther wanted to and would have retired after just one more season, his 14th in Carolina.
"The only people who knew were my close friends and my wife,'' Smith told Banks. "I had been waking up every day about 3 a.m. and wrestling with some things in my quiet time. I finally decided and made the commitment to my family. I told them, 'I'm done. I don't think I can do it much longer. My knee was sore and I knew all the work I had put into my career and what it would take. I came to terms with it, that this year was going to be my last year ever playing football.''
As bitter as the 35-year-old may be regarding his release, he takes the opportunity in Baltimore as motivation. Smith is sure, this time, that he'll finish his career in Ravens purple.
"When I got released, and how it happened, it made me feel a certain way,'' Smith said. "My response was to start working out again every day after that. I started jogging, my knee started feeling better, and the next thing you know, I got a three-year deal here.
"After this contract with the Baltimore Ravens, I am done. I'm going to be stay-at-home dad, and I'm going to get on with the rest of my life's work. I know sometimes there are people saying, 'Oh, he needs to just let it go.' Believe me, I will. I'm going to let it go. But I'm going to take a few people down with me. Not in spite, but just fun. I'm going to enjoy playing ball again. I'm going to have fun here.''
We assume Smith refers to — or at least includes — the Panthers when he says he wants to "take a few people down." The outspoken receiver already told us that when Carolina travels to Baltimore in Week 4, we need to "put [our] goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere.”