The majority of Goldman’s production came in the first four years of his career, namely 11.5 of his 13 total sacks and 18 of his 21 quarterback hits. Nevertheless, Goldman’s retirement and arrival on the Falcons defensive line could be a solid pick-up for new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who will have Jarrett, Onyemata, and Graham at his disposal, but could always use more veteran depth in rotation. Falcons tight end Lee Smith retires after 11 seasons, set to become a youth mentor.
As a blocking tight end for 11 NFL seasons, Lee Smith cleared the path for his teammates.
Smith’s current goal is to set an example for the youth in his hometown.
After retiring from the NFL, Smith—who previously played for the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons—plans to serve as a youth mentor at the Triple F Elite Sports Training performance center he is opening in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Smith announced his retirement on the Falcons’ team website via team writer Scott Blair. “I couldn’t feel more blessed that I get to step away on my terms,” Smith said. “That just isn’t how things usually work out. And yet here I am, a tough-as-nails fifth-round draft selection who managed to secure a niche role and survive. I’ve always said that it would be amazing to leave on my own terms because my father did a terrible job of leaving the NFL. Soon after, he drank himself to death.”
The 34-year-old Smith is starting a new journey in his life with the goal of guiding troubled youth to the correct path—one that he himself found difficult to follow in his early years.
Daryle, his father, was a six-year NFL veteran who battled mental health issues after retiring from the game and passed away at the age of 46.
When Lee first arrived at Tennessee for college, he was dismissed from the team due to a DUI charge. He proceeded to Marshall and got into a brawl with a teammate there. Blair claimed that Smith’s wife and kids prevented him from falling further.
Smith wants to be the person who supports other young people who are having problems and are going in the wrong direction.
“Dude, pay attention. Thank God I’m still here, Smith remarked. “I didn’t have a Lee Smith from the way I behaved from the time I was fifteen until I was nineteen, when I was expelled from Tennessee. My father was an alcoholic who would beat me or my younger brothers when he was having a rough day. I was fortunate not to die or fall into a ditch. I was without direction. I hope I can help others by being a guide.
“Dude, look at this. Some children even silence their own parents. I may be someone they will listen to when they’re misbehaving because I played in the NFL for eleven years. At that age, boys are dumb ass. I want to support them during it.
These kids will be traveling from my hometown, from the neighborhoods where I grew up, via the same backroads that I drove on their way to the gym.
That has significance for me, for sure. I tell high school coaches and teams from back home that I played on the same fields every time I speak with them. My life would have been very different if I had what I’m providing these kids.”
As Smith moves on from his playing career, Triple F—which is characterized as a hybrid athletic performance center and refuge for troubled youth—will provide him with the opportunity to transform lives.
Smith participated in 149 games during his career, making 79 starts, hauling in 73 receptions, 523 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. However, statistics were not Smith’s forte.
He was a tight end blocking in the traditional sense.
In his first and only season with the Falcons in 2021, he recorded nine receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown. The final touchdown occurred in Week 3 after Matt Ryan’s 1-yard catch that tied the score.
His last game will be the Falcons’ 2021 season finale, a defeat to the rival Saints.
“Walking off the field [for the last time], I thought it was going to be bittersweet,” Smith stated. “It was just sweet.”
Smith has a lot of miles on his record after playing for three different NFL teams. Now that he’s heading back home and retiring from the NFL, he’s embarking on a new chapter in his life, one in which he hopes his contributions—much like his role as a Bill, Raider, and Falcon—will lead to success for others.
