The San Francisco 49ers are the NFL's version of the Tin Man. The organization is now a shell of itself, and it lacks heart.
Earlier in the offseason, the franchise lost its soul when linebacker Patrick Willis retired. The heart of the team was ripped out Monday once defensive end Justin Smith decided to retire after 14 stellar seasons, the Niners announced via Twitter.
Even after four straight years of diminished snap counts, Smith's toughness and tenacity were still legendary in NFL circles. As ESPN.com's Chris Sprow noted, Smith was a constant along the defensive line throughout his career:
Justin Smith played in 221 of 224 possible games over 14 seasons.