Players reflect on loss of Smith

Players reflect on loss of Smith
By Mike Prisuta - WDVE-FM
Posted 2 hours ago


GLENDALE, Ariz. – The enthusiasm over the Steelers’ 32-20 victory here last Sunday was tempered by the news that defensive end Aaron Smith must undergo neck surgery.

The Steelers placed Smith, 35, on the injured reserve list on Saturday, thereby ending his season early for the fourth time in five years. Teammates pondered the possibility that Smith’s Steelers career might also be over following Sunday’s victory over the Cardinals.

“I don’t know,” defensive end Brett Keisel said. “I really don’t know. That’s up to Aaron and the Steelers.

“It’s been frustrating for him, obviously. He’s one of the greatest competitors ever to put on a Steelers uniform. He wants to be out there competing, and it’s very tough for him when he can’t.”

Smith had been out with a sprained foot since sustaining the injury in the Steelers’ loss on Oct. 2 in Houston. The determination that neck surgery was necessary resulted from an examination into why Smith was still experiencing neck pain while recovering from the foot injury, neck pain Smith initially had attributed to the wear-and-tear of playing football.

Smith has started 152 of 160 career games with the Steelers after arriving as a fourth-round draft pick in 1999. He last played a full, 16-game regular season in 2008. A run of recent injuries limited Smith to 11 games in 2007, five in 2009, six in 2010 and now four games this season.


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as much of a fan i am of his, this is a good thing

thanks for the memories arron