Chiefs, Buccaneers Super Bowl champion announces retirement from NFL

Donovan Smith, a two-time Super Bowl champion who played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is retiring from the NFL.

According to a post on his Instagram, long-time Buccaneers and former Chiefs offensive tackle Donovan Smith is retiring from the NFL.

Smith reminisced on his journey to the NFL, which started in seventh grade, in his announcement

“When I first started out this journey in 7th grade, I didn’t know what the other side would hold. With dedication, self-awareness, hard work, perseverance, sacrifice, treating people with kindness and respect, and capitalizing on the opportunities presented to me, I was able to gain more from the game than I could imagine,” he said.

He was thankful for all of the great relationships he formed during his career and now looks forward to “the new doors that will be opened for me on the other side of retirement.”

“I’ve gained lifelong friendships with people in the locker rooms I’ve walked and people behind the scenes that day in and day out make us, as athletes, the best we can be to be able to run out that tunnel on game days and perform. It has blessed me with a college degree and the abilities and resources to provide for my family and more. Thank you to all that has helped me through the years along my football career,” Smith concluded.

Donovan Smith’s college career

Smith played his college ball at Penn State, where he was a star left tackle for the Nittany Lions and one of the best at his position in the country over three seasons.

After the 2014 campaign, Smith decided it was time to make the jump to the NFL.

Donovan Smith’s NFL career