San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith has revealed that he will decide his future by the end of the month.

The 35-year-old was said to be considering retiring from the NFL after 14 seasons in the league, but was willing to wait until he had fully recovered from his exploits in the 2014 campaign before making his final decision.

"You'll know in about three weeks or so," Smith told the Sacramento Bee.

The 49ers have already lost linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland to retirement in the off-season.