Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith made future Hall of Famer Richard Sherman retire. 

And no, that isn't hyperbole. Sherman himself said so in a recent podcast episode. 

The events in question happened in a Thursday night game at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 14, 2021, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came calling. It was Sherman's third game in Tampa. And the likely future Hall of Fame cornerback was trying to defend Smith, and that is he realized his career would be over at the end of that season.

“DeVonta must’ve run this comeback (route),” Sherman said during a recent episode of his podcast, which had Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson on as guest. “I had him under control, I was like, bam, quick jam, easy, had him under control. He must’ve stopped and I tried to stop and my whole groin said, ‘Snap, snap, snap, snap,’ and I said, ‘Whoa, whoa.’"

Sherman added: “Then you’re trying to guard and chasing him around and you’re like please don’t throw him the ball, please. My coach is looking at me on the sideline like, ‘Hey, you wanna come out, you wanna come out?’

"I’m like, ‘Yeah, but they’re in a hurry-up,’ so I’m like bailing out. At that moment I was like yeah, this is probably my last year. I don’t got it for these young dudes right here.”

Smith is a deadly offensive weapon in Philadelphia. He and A.J. Brown are the team's first duo of wide receivers to both amass 1,000-plus yards in the same season. 

And now, Smith can add another achievement to his resume: He made a Hall of Famer call it quits.

Eagles: DeVonta Smith has already earned his fifth-year option, no question

Time flies.

Feature image via Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.