GLENDALE, Ariz. ? It was Saturday morning when the Steelers' players got word thatAaron Smith, one of the NFL's great defensive ends and a franchisefixture, was placed on injured reserve because of a neck injury.His season was done. Probably his career, too.Brett Keisel, Smith's bookend these past few years, recalled agroup of defensive players sitting with Smith in Pittsburgh soonafterward. They discussed Smith's injury, his future, his feelingsabout the franchise ... followed by a long silence.Keisel broke it: "Are you going to come with us?"For the game Sunday, he meant.Smith smiled and replied: "Well, what else am I going to do? AmI going to sit around and mope? No, I'm coming."The players exalted. And I got the distinct feeling that emotioncarried into the Steelers' 32-20 throttling of theArizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Smith was onthe team plane, in the locker room before the game and on thesideline throughout, offering advice, patting rumps, chipping inany way that a guy with a bad neck could.Smith's neck ? which coach Mike Tomlin revealed yesterday hadhurt him for weeks ? is now so painful it will require surgery.That made the decision for the team and the player unavoidable.But the story won't end there: Keisel and several other playerssaid yesterday they plan to dedicate the 2011 season to Smith."He's one of the greatest Steelers to ever put on a uniform,"Keisel said. "There aren't a lot of guys who have played andbattled like he has. Everyone looks up to that. We love him. Werespect him. The least we can do is go out and win games forhim."This made for a fine start. Yeah, Arizona made absurd plays anddecisions befitting a 1-5 team. It's going to be a ton tougher withNew England and Baltimore next on the schedule. But BenRoethlisberger and his receivers performed at their highest levelall season, LaMarr Woodley is back to being a full-time beast, andthe team is now 5-2.The defensive line was fine, too.When the Steelers took the field in thenickel formation that has only two down linemen, it looked like atribute to Smith. It wasn't, of course. It was aimed at spellingthird-string nose tackle Steve McLendon ? Casey Hampton and ChrisHoke were out again ? and it worked well. McLendon held up well,while Keisel and Ziggy Hood helped hold Arizona to just 73 rushingyards.Smith plans to address the media later this week, and I'mguessing he'll say he loved it all.In the broader scope, it's not easy to quantify Smith'svalue.On the field, he was so hard to keep out of the backfield thathe often drew two blockers, freeing up linebackers for the sacksand the glory. He was so difficult to run against that mostopponents went the other way. Incredibly, he made only one Pro Bowlappearance, even as he was selected for Sports Illustrated'sAll-Decade team for the 2000s.Off the field, Smith has been a leader through word and deed.Teammates know of his torment and resolve in helping his young sonElijah battle leukemia. They saw him compete through excruciatingpain. Over the past four years, they saw him rehabilitatingrelentlessly, usually in vain."A guy like that," safety Ryan Clark said, shaking his head,"should have a better ending, you know?"The players sounded mixed as to whether Smith might return in2012, maybe out of a willful naivete. Keisel said he didn't know.Clark said, "He's probably not going to play again."I hope he doesn't. Smith is 35. He's had so many injuries, and ?as we all could see even as we wanted to look away ? he wasn'thimself on the field this season.After an especially tough game in Indianapolis last month, Smithlooked at me and said quietly, "I'm tired."I believed it.As Clark said, the man deserves better.If Smith sticks around, if he comes on the occasional trip likethis, if he walks the sideline, if he pokes his head into defensiveline meetings, the Steelers will be the stronger forit.But it won't be the same. That was easy to see on the sidelinelate in the game yesterday, when Clark lay his forehead on Smith'sleft shoulder and told him, "I'm going to miss you, man."When I asked Clark to explain that, his eyes Joe Haden Authentic Jersey, Chicago Bears Johnny Knox Authentic Jersey, Authentic Peyton Manning Jersey, Authentic Chargers Vincent Jackson Jersey, James Starks Authentic Jersey, Authentic Chicago Bears Johnny Knox Jersey, Peyton Manning Jersey, Cardinals Kevin Kolb Jersey, Cardinals Kevin Kolb Authentic Jersey, Joe Haden Jersey, Vincent Jackson Authentic Jersey, Chiefs Jamaal Charles Jersey, Authentic Joe Haden Jersey, Redskins Ryan Torain Jersey, New England Patriots Devin McCourty Authentic Jersey, Authentic Cardinals Kevin Kolb Jersey, wholesale jerseys china, wholesale nfl jerseys free shipping, James Starks Jersey Authentic , Jamaal Charles Jersey Authentic, Chargers Vincent Jackson Jersey, Jamaal Charles Authentic Jersey, Vincent Jackson Jersey Authentic, Chargers Vincent Jackson Authentic Jersey, Joe Haden Jersey Authentic, Redskins Ryan Torainl Authentic Jersey, New England Patriots Devin McCourty Jerseywelled."He's a guy you root for, but he's a guy we love."Terms & Conditions |Privacy |Copyright |? 2009 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. 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