BALTIMORE -- Steve Smith Sr. lay face-first and motionless immediately after he sustained a season-ending Achilles injury late in the third quarter of the Baltimore Ravens' 29-26 win over the San Diego Chargers. With a towel covering his face, Smith draped his arms over trainers as he was carried to the sideline.

Is this the final image of a career defined by in-your-face toughness? The Ravens don't believe so.

"I have a feeling Steve Smith will be back," coach John Harbaugh said. "I love him, respect him, admire him. I told him that. That’s the kind of man he is, and he’ll be back."

Harbaugh clarified his remark that he wasn't making an announcement for Smith, but he merely expressed a sentiment based on what he knows of Smith. There is validity to Harbaugh's thoughts. When Smith announced in training camp that this would be his final season, he was leaving on his own terms. Smith doesn't seem like the type of leader who will be forced out by an injury, an organization (like the Carolina Panthers) or critics.

Smith's agent recently estimated that it's 50-50 whether the wide receiver follows through with his retirement plans at the end of the season. This is an indication that he was wavering before having his potential final season cut in half.

Running back Justin Forsett, who is Smith's closest friend on the Ravens, said he doesn't know whether Smith will delay retirement for a year.

"I'll definitely be whispering in his ear, hopefully to get him back out there," Forsett said.

Smith is perhaps the best pound-for-pound fighter in the NFL. He will do whatever it takes to get that extra yard, whether it's running through you or stiff-arming you. With each ball he spins following a catch, it's like an "I told you so" to everyone who doubted that a 5-foot-9 player could become one of the top 10 receivers in NFL history.

If anyone definitely thinks this is the end of Smith's career, you haven't been paying attention to the the last 15 years he's been in the league or even the last few weeks of this season. He takes pride in his gritty reputation, which was underscored by the fact that he suffered four microfractures in his back and only missed one game. This will mark the first time since 2004 that Smith has been sidelined for more than two games.

"We know what Steve stood for," defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan said. "Steve is the toughest person I know. He’s the toughest person I’ve ever seen in my life."

Smith proved this season he can still play at 36. The oldest wide receiver in the league ranks sixth in the NFL with 670 yards receiving.

And the Ravens would certainly welcome him back. Smith has twice as many receiving yards as any other player on the team.

It's just a matter of whether he wants to return. One of the reasons why he was stepping away was to spend more time with his family. But it's difficult to believe that the midseason injury and the Ravens' disappointing season hasn't changed his perspective.

Harbaugh recalled a conversation he had with Smith at his home about a year and a half ago.

"I said it to him that, ‘You’re going to write the final chapters of your career in a way that nobody expects. Nobody’s going to write these final chapters for you,'" Harbaugh said. "So, I’m just looking forward to seeing how this story ends.”