Justin Smith Retires: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Justin Smith announced his decision to retire on Monday after an excellent 14-year NFL career.  

The San Francisco 49ers confirmed the news via their official Twitter account:

Smith commented on the decision, via the team's Twitter account:

"

If you don't have the tools, you can't do the job. It's time to go. You know when it's time. It's a young man's game. As you get older, it's harder to keep that same intensity. I'm sure I'll be doing something football related. I'll stay around the game as much as I can.

"

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick shared the following image and message on Instagram:

After spending his first seven years as a pro in Cincinnati, Smith became a fixture in the trenches for the 49ers amid the franchise's resurgence in recent years. The 35-year-old veteran, who missed just three regular-season games over the course of his career, was a force against both the pass and the run.   

ESPN's Bomani Jones shared his reaction to Smith's retirement:

With all that wear and tear and the grueling demands of his position, it isn't a surprise to see Smith hang up his jersey. In early March, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reported that he had decided to retire, citing multiple league sources.

Former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio praised Smith's competitive nature this past December, per the Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows:

"

I think the one thing that defines him is that he's just a true warrior in the truest football sense of the word. The guy is as tough as anybody I’ve ever been around, accountable as anybody I’ve been around. He has played through injuries that most people wouldn’t have played through. He doesn’t talk about them. He played a whole season last year with half an arm. There are a lot of guys that wouldn’t have even gone out there. But the guy loves football, loves playing, loves competing. He’s definitely in my personal top-3 or-5 hall-of-fame [players] that I’ve been around.

"

Smith's love for the game and the 49ers missing the playoffs this past season after advancing to the conference title game in each of the three years prior had to weigh on him.

The fact that a respected football mind like Fangio refers to Smith as a Hall of Famer speaks volumes to how much of an impact he's had on the field. Even if Smith was playing hurt last year, he was still gutting it out for a team that finished fifth in total defense.   

Smith's decision to walk away places even more responsibility on the plate of rookie first-round pick Arik Armstead. The Oregon product was San Francisco's selection at No. 17 overall.

Instead of having Smith as a mentor, Armstead will have to fill the void Smith left to keep the 49ers among the league's best defensive units.