Steve Smith on Panthers: What’s in the past is in the past
By Josh Sanchez
When the Carolina Panthers made the difficult decision to release veteran wide receiver Steve Smith, there was plenty of outrage from the fans and Smith was also bitter with the team’s decision. However, that is now all in the past.
In a recent appearance where Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer was present, Smith changed his tune on the Panthers and made it clear that everything has been forgiven and he still has respect for everyone who gave him an opportunity to become the player he was in Carolina.
“What’s in the past is in the past,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, you go to the kitchen, you get a washcloth, you pick up the spilled milk and you move on. That’s what I’m doing. I’m moving on.
“I have nothing bad to say about Mr. Richardson or the organization. And I won’t. And I refuse to because they deserve nothing but my respect. At the end of the day, they’ve done great things for me, given me an opportunity to bless my family.”
It is great to see Smith bury the hatchet, but we’d still have to imagine he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder when his new team hosts the Panthers during the 2014 season.