Jacksonville Jaguars: Telvin Smith might want to pursue other things

Could Telvin Smith be pursuing other interests outside of his Jacksonville Jaguars career as he plans to take the 2019 season off from football?

Linebacker Telvin Smith announced that he would not play this upcoming season. His announcement stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars fan base and apparently the front office as well. Is there a chance the Smith is pursuing other interests in lieu of his football career?

Remember, Jim Brown stepped away from football into a movie career. Brown was the best running back in his day. Nobody ever said that Brown made a mistake by leaving football. The Cleveland Browns may have regrets about how they handled him, though.

Doug Marrone is saying the right things concerning Smith. Herbie Teope of NFL.com reported the following comments:

"“I really believe in my heart that Telvin knows that we’re here to support him in any which way. Not just myself, the coaches, the organization, his teammates. … he knows that is he needs some support, we’re here for him.”"

After the initial response to Smith’s announcement, he had a follow-up. Smith basically said to stop acting so ridiculous about him stepping away from football. Then he said the magic words, “Football ain’t everything…”  

Does that sound like a player who has hurt feelings over Tom Coughlin’s comment over voluntary workouts, as some may suggest? It’s highly doubtful that Coughlin is at fault. There might be another reason for his decision.

Smith would be entering his sixth season in Jacksonville. He was voted as a team captain last season. He has performed at a very high level each season since being drafted in 2014. This season, Smith would earn $9.750 million after his contract extension in 2017. He is potentially walking out on an additional $20.250 million for the next two seasons, according to Spotrac. Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Also, it’s hard to believe that Smith’s announcement caught the Jaguars off guard. First, Dave Caldwell spoke mysteriously in April about Smith. Second, Jacksonville has really stocked up on linebackers recently. Since March, the Jaguars have signed and/or drafted eight linebackers. They have released two from the team roster. Currently, there are twelve linebackers on the current Jacksonville roster, including Smith.

Just like Brown in 1966, Smith could be pursuing a different interest to tackle. Until he says anything different, you have to guess that his interest in football is waning. Don’t forget what Smith said, “Football ain’t everything.” Just ask Gerald Ford, Tony Romo or any other former football player.