Aaron

Smith

Smith’s mid-foot sprain is going to need plenty of time to heal up. Ziggy Hood had four tackles and a half-sack in place of Smith last week.

This could be it for the 35-year-old Smith, who was limited to nine games between the 2009 and 2010 seasons thanks to shoulder and triceps injuries. The Steelers have a readymade replacement at left end in former first-round pick Ziggy Hood, who excelled in Smith’s absence during the Steelers’ Super Bowl run last winter. Hood has seven tackles and one sack in six games this season. If this is indeed the end for Smith, he’ll finish with 459 tackles and 44 sacks in 160 career games, all of which came in a Steelers uniform.

It was only a matter of time. Turning 36 in April, Smith had managed to suit up for just 15 of 48 games the past three years, failing to finish the season in four of the past five. The 2004 Pro Bowler was due $2.1 million, and the Steelers are still working to free up salary cap space in case RFA Mike Wallace draws a strong offer from another team. It’s not clear if Smith, one of the premier 3-4 ends of the past decade, will be welcomed back a reduced rate.

“We’re celebrating [13] years of having the privilege of playing for the Steelers,” said the agent, “and Aaron is celebrating having more time with his five kids and wife. There are no hard feelings.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac believes Smith would re-join Ken Whisenhunt, Ray Horton, and Russ Grimm in Arizona if he changes his mind.

Smith is a medical mess and turns 36 next month, but he’d likely be available for a cheap contract and has long been a favorite of Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Smith is seriously weighing retirement, however. Curran also speculates that the Pats “could be interested” if the Raiders release OLB Kamerion Wimbley.

Smith insisted he was “completely healthy” in January two months after undergoing spinal fusion surgery, but that apparently wasn’t the case. Limited to just 15 of a possible 48 games the past three years, the odds are strongly against Smith returning for a 14th NFL season in 2012.

Smith insists he could play this weekend had he not been placed on injured reserve. The 35-year-old will decide after the playoffs whether to return for a 14th season. Explaining that joining another team would “taint” his stellar career, Smith plans only to play in Pittsburgh if he returns. With Ziggy Hood and Cam Heyward showing plenty of promise, Smith will be only a part-timer in 2012.

Smith told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he has some interest in playing football again, but the weight loss and his recent inability to stay healthy are obvious concerns for a player turning 36 in April. Smith has managed to appear in just 15 of a possible 48 games over the past three seasons.

These kinds of foot sprains are nothing to mess around with, especially for a 35-year-old like Smith. We’d expect Ziggy Hood to get the nod against the Titans Sunday. Smith has been one of the primary weak spots in Pittsburgh’s front seven this season, so Hood could easily prove a significant upgrade.

Smith was able to play through the injury at the end of Sunday’s game, but was likely being propped up by adrenaline. With Ziggy Hold being a more than capable replacement, there’s a good chance Smith sits out in Week 5. The 35-year-old veteran has missed 21 games with injury the past three seasons.