Tag: Steve Smith Sr.

Former Ravens WR snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022

A former Ravens wide receiver was snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2022

The Baltimore Ravens have had many great players suit up for the organization over the course of their franchise history. Some of those players spend their entire careers with Baltimore while others only spend a few years with the team, whether it be early or late in their playing days.

One veteran that had a brief stop with the Ravens back in 2016 was former wide receiver Devin Hester. The former pass catcher had flashes as a receiving option, but was much better known for his ability as a returner.

On Thursday night, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 was announced. Hester made an appearance on his first ballot as a finalist but didn’t make the final cut.

Hester is arguably the best returner in NFL history, as he accumulated over 10,000 total return yards and 19 total return touchdowns over his 12-year career. However, his time in Baltimore wasn’t so memorable, as he averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and 24.5 yards per kick return, scoring zero touchdowns and fumbling five times in 12 games.

Ravens have best odds to land Julio Jones according to SportsLine

The Baltimore Ravens have been linked to Julio Jones for years. Could they be interested in Jones if the Atlanta Falcons make him available?

The Baltimore Ravens have been looking to acquire a true No. 1 wide receiver for a long time. While Baltimore has had some great receivers suit up in purple and black that include Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, and Steve Smith Sr., the team has explored plenty of avenues to find their next star pass catcher, whether through the draft, a trade, or free agency.

It was reported on Monday that teams were calling the Atlanta Falcons in regards to the availability of wide receiver Julio Jones, who has had his name come up in trade rumors for years.

Jones, 32, has been one of the best receivers in the NFL over the course of his career, accumulating 848 receptions, 12,896 receiving yards, and 60 receiving touchdowns. His health is a question mark and his touchdown production can sometimes be spotty, but there’s no doubt that Jones would make the Ravens’ offense better.

SportsLine.com released odds for Jones’ next team in the event that he’s traded, and Baltimore leads the way as the favorites.

In the article explaining the odds, Matt Severance explains that he’s shocked that Baltimore hasn’t gone out and acquired a true No. 1 receiver yet.

It’s almost shocking the Ravens haven’t addressed the position yet this offseason (Antonio Brown is still a possibility) and they could take a wideout with their first-round pick Thursday.”

If the Ravens wanted to make a move for Jones, he wouldn’t be cheap, as not only would the team have to give up draft compensation to acquire him, but his contract is somewhat expensive over the next three years.

Jones has been linked to Baltimore for a while, and with reports saying that Atlanta could possibly move Jones due to salary cap purposes, it’s fair to speculate whether the Ravens would be interested. It would certainly take a lot to acquire a player like Jones, but if he can stay healthy he’d be well worth it.

Former Ravens WR Steve Smith rips David Culley: His eye for talent is as good as ‘Stevie Wonder’s eyes’

In a grudge that goes back nearly 20 years, former Ravens WR Steve Smith bashed Texans coach David Culley’s talent assessment abilities

Former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith has never been accused of biting his tongue. Now that he’s an analyst for NFL Network, Smith definitely isn’t holding anything back. So when former Ravens wide receiver coach David Culley got hired as the Houston Texans’ newest head coach, Smith once again let his thoughts be known.

In an interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Smith ripped into Culley’s ability to assess talent. Smith recalled an interaction with Culley during his rookie season at the 2001 Pro Bowl that left a bad taste in his mouth nearly two decades later.

As Smith tells it, he had made the Pro Bowl as a punt returner. But with a short-manned roster and the punter late for practice, John Harbaugh — a special-teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles at the time — had told Smith to go help out on offense. It was at that point Smith alleges Culley all but said he wasn’t a wide receiver and sent him back to Harbaugh.

Let’s hear the whole story directly from Smith’s mouth:

https://youtu.be/1CKL_ZwYMZI

While Smith doesn’t call it a grudge, it certainly smells like one. It’s been nearly 20 years since the incident and Smith went on to have an incredible career, as has Culley. Smith also ended the interview by taking a pretty big shot at Culley’s ability to assess the position, saying his eye for athleticism and talent is “as good as Ray Charles’ and Stevie Wonder’s eyes.”

We’ll see soon enough whether Smith’s assessment is correct or not. The Texans finished 4-12 last season and have upset star quarterback Deshaun Watson so much that he’s asked for a trade this offseason. With little draft capital and talent to work with already, it’s not hyperbole to say Culley has entered one of the worst situations in the NFL and his acumen will be tested early. If he’s half as bad as Smith alleges, Culley probably won’t be in charge for very long.

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Steve Smith Sr. rips into ‘oinking’ Gregg Williams for Jets’ ‘BS’ defense

New York was flagged for 11 penalties against Denver, including six personal fouls on Gregg Williams’ defense.

The Jets fell short in a lot of areas in their 37-28 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night, but it was their lack of discipline that repeatedly cost them throughout the game.

New York was flagged for 11 penalties against Denver, including six personal fouls on Gregg Williams’ defense. Broncos coach Vic Fangio was so frustrated with the Jets’ antics that he decided to bypass his customary postgame handshake with Adam Gase and told his players to follow suit in order to avoid any potential confrontation.

Despite Fangio’s actions, the harshest criticism of New York’s reckless play came courtesy of NFL Network’s Steve Smith Sr., who pulled no punches when talking about Williams and the way he operates.

“What I’m talking about is straight Gregg Williams,” Smith Sr. said. “Wherever he goes, the nonsense follows. That’s how he runs his defense and that’s how he does it, straight up. I’m not saying you have to believe me. I’m saying I’m willing to put myself out there and call a spade a spade. That’s what he’s done. That’s who he is. That’s what he preaches.

“That’s what he wants his players on defense to be. … His defense is about that BS. That’s how he coaches them. That’s how he influences them.”

A longtime Panthers receiver, Smith Sr. played plenty against the Saints during their Bountygate Era, which Williams was at the center of. That gives his words credence considering his first-hand experience and conversations with Williams about the way his defenses play.

“Until something changes, I see it for what it is,” Smith Sr. said. “If it smells like a pig, it looks like a pig, and it’s oinking? Then guess what, my friend, it’s a pig.”

Six personal foul penalties in a single game are simply inexcusable. The Jets weren’t necessarily going head hunting throughout the night, but DL Steve McLendon hitting Broncos QB Brett Rypien late and with the crown of his helmet at the end of the game is partly what prompted Fangio to direct his team straight to the locker room. The Jets’ lack of discipline falls squarely on the shoulders of their defensive coordinator.

New York’s defense was supposed to be its strongest unit in 2020. Instead, it has arguably been its weakest link. There’s still time for Williams to get his group back on track, but either way, he’ll have a lot of answering to do for the reckless way the Jets played in Week 4.

Derrick Mason feels disrespected by snub on Ravens’ all-time team list

Despite owning most of the Baltimore Ravens’ receiving records, wide receiver Derrick Mason was left off the all-time team list by fans.

To celebrate their 25 years as a franchise in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens asked fans to help create the all-time best starting lineup. While all the selections had merit and it’s a solid team, there were always going to be snubbed players. However, the most egregious had to be wide receiver Derrick Mason, with fans voting Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith Sr. as the team’s starters over him.

Mason was with Baltimore for six seasons after spending his first eight years with the Tennessee Titans (Oilers). He holds the top receiving records in Ravens history, topping the charts in targets (768), receptions (471) and receiving yards (5,777) while finishing third in receiving touchdowns (29). Though Mason missed out on both of Baltimore’s Super Bowl victories, he was a major help in getting franchise-leading quarterback Joe Flacco up to speed quickly.

With how important he was to the franchise and where he stands in the team’s record books, Mason was rightfully upset at the snub. He took to Twitter to voice his displeasure, giving fans a little of the “no respect” line comedian Rodney Dangerfield was famous for.

While both Boldin and Smith have clear places in Baltimore’s legacy, neither come close to topping the franchise’s record books in any major stat. Though both players were with the Ravens for just three years compared to Mason’s six, only Smith managed to put up more yards and receptions per game. At the same time, neither Boldin nor Smith had Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright, or Troy Smith throwing them balls like Mason had before Flacco was selected in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Ravens fans had a tough job of selecting from a bunch of really great players at nearly every position. But it’s tough to see recency bias kick such a monumental player from his earned spot on the all-time list.

Take a look at the selections for Baltimore’s all-time team below.

Ravens All-Time Team: Offense

QB Lamar Jackson
RB Jamal Lewis
FB Vonta Leach
WR Anquan Boldin
WR Steve Smith Sr.
TE Todd Heap
T Jonathan Ogden
G Marshal Yanda
C Matt Birk
G Kelechi Osemele
T Ronnie Stanley

Ravens All-Time Team: Defense

DE Michael McCrary
DT Haloti Ngata
DT Tony Siragusa
OLB Terrell Suggs
OLB Peter Boulware
ILB Ray Lewis
ILB C.J. Mosley
CB Chris McAlister
CB Marlon Humphrey
S Ed Reed
S Rod Woodson

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Watch: 2 minutes of vintage Steve Smith trash talk

Here’s two minutes of vintage trash talk from the Panthers legend, courtesy of NFL Films.

Steve Smith Sr. remains the most popular Panthers player in franchise history, despite the team having employed a league MVP and several future Hall of Famers on defense. The former Carolina wide receiver was only 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds during his career, but he played the game like a giant and talked like one too.

Here’s two minutes of vintage trash talk from the Panthers legend, courtesy of NFL Films.

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