Ravens owner still holding out hope that Steve Smith will return

Steve Smith has been firm in saying that he is retired from the NFL, but there is at least one person associated with the Baltimore Ravens still hoping for a change of heart.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said he wouldn’t entirely rule out an NFL return for Smith, who filed paperwork to retire from the NFL on Jan. 2.

“I haven’t given up hope that Steve Smith is going to come walking in here in September,” Bisciotti said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “We’ll see about that character. I wouldn’t count him out.”

Smith certainly wasn’t having it.

“Man, I’m retired,” Smith told Fox Sports 1 after hearing of Bisciotti’s remarks. “I sent that paperwork to Roger Goodell January 2.”

Bisciotti made his remarks with a smile, so he’s likely not being entirely serious. That said, there’s definitely a part of him that would love it to happen. The receiver did leave the door open a tiny bit before his final game, and he can still play, as evidenced by the fact that he led the team with five touchdown catches last season.