49ers' Eric Reid on Justin Smith: 'Even his wife wants him to come back'
With veteran defensive end Justin Smith still undecided about the future of his playing career, he appears to be getting some encouragement from both within and outside the San Francisco 49ers' locker room.
Safety Eric Reid explained that, along with 49er teammates, even Smith's wife is hoping Smith chooses to return for the 2015 campaign, during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday:
Eric Reid on Justin Smith: Lots of guys are trying to convince him to come back, even his wife wants him to come back. #49ers
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 8, 2015
Now 35 years old and having put together an impressive 14-year NFL career, the assumption is Smith has been considering retirement since the end of the 2014 season.
However, with Smith yet to make an official announcement, the 49ers are likely holding out hope he'll put off retirement for at least another year.
Despite his long career, Smith has remained a dominant presence in his seven seasons on San Francisco's defensive front since joining the team as a free agent, starting all but two of 112 regular season games.
Of course, the 49ers already lost linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland to retirement earlier this offseason, so Smith possibly choosing to walk away would leave a once-stout defense with yet another glaring hole.