Former USC Trojan Cameron Smith Announces NFL Retirement

The 24-year-old announced his retirement one year after having open heart surgery.

Former USC linebacker Cameron Smith announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday.

"For the past 18 years, football has been such a tremendous part of my life. It has provided countless friendships, incredible memories, and invaluable lessons that will last a lifetime," said Smith in a social media post. "When I had open-heart surgery last year, I grappled a lot with what I had been asking my body to do in order to play this great game. Ultimately, I’ve decided that I’ve been asking for it to do too much.

After careful consideration and thorough discussion with my friends and family, I have made the difficult decision to retire from the NFL. I know this transition isn’t going to be easy, but I’m excited to tackle this next chapter of my life with the same passion pursuit that I did football. I am grateful for, and will forever cherish, the many opportunities that have been given to me through football. I truly appreciate the support from all my friends, family, the entire Vikings organization, USC, Athletes First and everyone who has been by my side along the way. Thanks again, Cam."

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A post shared by Cam Smith (@_killacam)

Smith was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2019 NFL Draft after spending four seasons at USC. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 last year, and during testing protocols doctors discovered that his heart was enlarged. He underwent open-heart surgery to fix a bicuspid aortic valve that he was born with. 

USA TODAY

Smith played in five games for the Vikings in 2019, and accumulated eight tackles. During his career at USC he amassed 273 tackles, including 19 for losses plus 10 deflections, three fumble recoveries and four interceptions. 

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