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by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com
Niners announce retirement of Pro Bowl DT Justin Smith
The San Francisco 49ers have announced that defensive tackle and five-time Pro Bowler Justin Smith has retired. The 35-year-old Smith missed just two games in his 14-year career, which he completes with 613 tackles, 87 sacks and much appreciation from the organization. He played in every game aside from in 2012. "Tough. Physical. Durable. Hard-working. Dedicated. Selfless. Justin embodies each of those qualities and brought even more with him to work each and every day," said 49ers CEO Jed York via the team website. "Whether it was chasing down a wide receiver and forcing a fumble to seal a win, or driving a tackle back into the quarterback's chest, he gave everything he had every play. Justin ... will always be remembered as one of the 49ers all-time greats." General manager Trent Blake added that Smith had "durability" and "rare stamina."
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by Shawn Krest | CBSSports.com
49ers: Justin Smith's workouts don't mean he's returning
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith is working out in San Jose, but coach Jim Tomsula said that people shouldn't draw any conclusions from that. "Don’t read into that either," Tomsula said, per 49ers.com. "Justin Smith is going to be working out for the rest of his life. That’s who he is." Smith was supposed to meet with GM Trent Baalke on Friday to discuss whether he planned to play next season. Tomsula didn't have an update. "I haven’t seen him or talked to him," he said. "That time will come. We’re not trying to make it a saga. We’re really not."
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by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com
49ers GM Trent Baalke to meet with Justin Smith about retirement
San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is planning to meet with defensive end Justin Smith on Wednesday and Thursday of this week to figure out his retirement plans, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio. Smith, the 35-year-old veteran, has said he will make his decision this month on whether he will retire. Smith has missed just two games in his 15-year career. He totaled 43 tackles with five sacks in 2014 for San Francisco.
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by R.J. White | CBSSports.com
49ers' Justin Smith to announce retirement decision in May
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith plans to sit down with team officials in May and decide whether he'll return for one more season, the Sacramento Bee reports. "You'll know in about three weeks or so," Smith said Monday. Smith wouldn't say which way he was leaning. He indicated that the the team's decision to draft a defensive lineman in the first round of the draft did not signal his impending retirement. "We gave Justin liberty to make his own decision on his time frame," Baalke said after selecting Arik Armstead Thursday. "We went into the draft not thinking about what decision Justin’s going to make or not going to make. We just went in to find the best football player, the best system fit that we could."
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by Shawn Krest | CBSSports.com
49ers: Decision to pick Arik Armstead not related to Justin Smith
The San Francisco 49ers are waiting to hear if defensive end Justin Smith will play in the 2015 season. The veteran is considering retirement. General manager Trent Baalke said that Smith's uncertainty played no role in the team's decision to draft defensive end Arik Armstead in the first round of the draft. "I said this to many of you the last time we met: We gave Justin liberty to make his own decision on his time frame," Baalke said, per the Mercury News. "So we went into the draft not thinking about what decision Justin’s going to make or not going to make. We just went in to find the best football player, the best system fit we could."
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by Sean D'Oliveira | CBS Sports Staff
49ers prepared to move on if Justin Smith retires
With San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith contemplating retirement, coach Jim Tomsula said the team has enough depth along the defensive line to alleviate the potential loss, reports the Bay Area News Group. "For four years, you see the d-linemen we've brought in. We've been making preparations," Tomsula said. "This isn't a 'this year' thing for us. We've been making preparations. The guy gets to 12 years in the NFL and he's at about a 92-percent rep count playing defensive line, you better start making preparations. So that started a while ago." Tomsula added that he will not rush Smith into a decision. "The guy's played a lot of football, right? He's obviously near and dear to my heart," Tomsula said. "I'm not going there. He can go do his thing with his family. We'll get to it. We will.”
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by Jason Butt | CBSSports.com
Jim Tomsula: Justin Smith hasn't told 49ers if he's retiring yet
San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said defensive lineman Justin Smith hasn't informed the organization as to whether he's retiring or not, according to CSN Bay Area. Tomsula said he spoke with Smith last week and the topic of retirement wasn't discussed. “[It’s] exactly where it’s been. Same place," Tomsula said. "I have nothing to report. Yeah, we’ve talked. He’s working out, but no decisions have been made either way.” The 49ers have already had two players surprisingly retire this offseason. Veteran linebacker Patrick Willis announced his retirement due to his toe injury and linebacker Chris Borland, coming off his rookie season, decided to retire due to concerns about head injuries in the sport. Smith is a 14-year veteran and retirement wouldn't be seen as a surprise. Tomsula said he wont try to sway Smith one way or the other. “I haven’t said anything to him in that sense,” Tomsula said.
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by R.J. White | CBSSports.com
Report: 49ers open to in-season return for Justin Smith
The San Francisco 49ers are open to defensive lineman Justin Smith returning to the team during the 2015 season, CSNBayArea.com reports. A report Monday said that Smith was set to retire, but he apparently has yet to definitively choose a course and wants to do eveything he can to help the 49ers. The team will explore different options to keep Smith fresh for a late-season run, including placing him on an injury list at the beginning of camp and allowing him to begin the regular-season on the reserve list, making him ineligible to play in the first six weeks.
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by R.J. White | CBSSports.com
Report: 49ers' Justin Smith set to retire
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith is set to retire from football, Pro Football Talk reports. Coach Jim Tomsula said in Feburary that the team would give Smith the space to make his own decision about whether to play in 2015. The defensive end recorded 43 tackles and five sacks last season and will finish his 14-year career with 87 sacks. The 49ers are set to lose two key defensive pieces this offseason, as linebacker Patrick Willis is expected to announce his retirement Tuesday.
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by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com
Niners coach giving Justin Smith space to make his own decision
San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Tomsula isn't going to pitch defensive end Justin Smith to come back to the team in 2015. Instead, he's going to let Smith figure it out for himself, according to the team's website. "You know the level of respect I have for him, and he has earned the right to make the decision on his own terms," Tomsula said. "I told him that I will not try to talk him into anything or out of anything. I really do try to stay neutral on that, I really do." Smith is a 14-year veteran who is mulling retirement. He finished the 2014 season with 43 tackles, five sacks and recovered two fumbles.
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