Baltimore Ravens' Torrey Smith Plays Inspiring Game After Brother's Sudden Death

by UInterviewSeptember 24, 2012, 12:00 amNews >

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith responded to tragedy with one of the best games of his young career. Less than 24 hours after learning that his 19-year-old brother, Tevin Jones, suffered a fatal motorcycle accident, Smith caught six passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens’ 31-30 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night.

When Smith, 23, learned of his brother’s death around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, he left the team hotel and drove to Virginia to be with his family, but not before telling head coach Jim Harbaugh that he wanted to play in the upcoming game. Smith returned to the Ravens later in the day, having slept only one hour before the game.

The sellout crowd at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore held a moment of silence for Smith’s brother prior to the game. The Ravens found themselves down 13-0 when Smith caught a 25-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 13-7. Upon catching the touchdown, Smith knelt to the ground and said a prayer for his brother. Following the game Smith received the game ball from coach Harbaugh.

"What it came down to was, being a receiver, you've got to have your mind clear," Smith told ESPN. "You can't have anything weighing on you, [because] that's going to cause you to drop the ball or have mistakes. I didn't want to hurt my team. I came here, and the more I was running, the more comfortable I began to feel. I'm glad I came back here. I think it helped me out a lot."

Smith cited the close bond with his teammates as one of the reasons he was able to play, and coach Harbaugh explained that there was no doubt Smith was going to play in the game. "Torrey is a great, great young man," Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun. "We dedicate that victory to Tevin and to the whole family. When Torrey said he wanted to play, then the decision was finished. Obviously, he's a pretty special guy."

Smith, now in his second year with the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him out of the University of Maryland in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, was forced to grow up early as he had to look after his six younger siblings, including Tevin, while his mother worked and attended school. –Hal Sundt