CHARLOTTE (AP) -- Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith says he wants to play "three or four more years'' in the NFL before calling it quits and transitioning into what he calls a full-fledged "cheerleader.''

Smith, 33, is looking forward to it.

Smith figures by the time he retires his 14-year-old son Peyton, an exceptional soccer player, will be playing in college and "at that point it will no longer be about me on the field, it's about my kids.''

For now though, Smith thinks he can still play at a high level in the NFL.

That's good news for a Carolina team that has huge expectations after making major strides last season under new coach Ron Rivera, rookie quarterback Cam Newton and a seemingly ageless receiver who shows no signs of slowing down.

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