Za’darius Smith‘s sudden retirement in 2025 shocked the football world. Recently, Smith revealed he wasn’t in the best state of mind and decided it was best to walk away from football.
Smith, 33, played for the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and the Philadelphia Eagles before hanging up his boots. On Wednesday, the former fourth-round pick spoke for the first time since his retirement.
I was in a dark place.
Smith recalled
I was in a dark place.
Five games into his Eagles career, Smith learned from his mother’s doctor that she was critically ill. The news devastated Smith to the point that he could no longer focus on his game. Retirement was the only option left for Smith. It allowed him to spend the final moments of his mother’s life beside her. She passed away not long after.
Rest her soul.
Smith said
Rest her soul.
Smith has decided to resume playing football. In the offseason, he came close to re-signing with the Browns. However, he eventually signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons on August 18, fulfilling his mother’s wish.
She always wanted me to be in Atlanta with the Falcons.
Smith said via Kinsey Lee of Atlanta News First
In May 2023, the Browns traded a couple of fifth-round picks to the Vikings to acquire Za’darius Smith, a 2025 sixth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick. Smith quickly slotted next to Myles Garrett in the Browns’ defense.
In his first year, Smith accumulated 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 3 passes defensed in 16 appearances. However, he was on the flight back to the NFC North midway through the campaign.
At Cleveland, he played under the tutelage of Kevin Stefanski, who . Stefanski noted that Smith brings ‘physicality’ and experience to the Falcons locker room.
I have a comfort level with Za’Darius [Smith] the person. Za’Darius the player certainly brings an element of a veteran pass rusher, but a guy who can play on all downs. I think we were together ’23, ’24. Then [they] traded him, in the middle maybe of ’24… But heavy hands, good against the run, was an excellent teammate for us.
Kevin Stefanski said about Za’Darius Smith via Georgia Sports’ Dr. Orlando Ledbetter
The Browns traded Smith and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to the Lions in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick. Smith played eight games in Detroit. In 2025, he signed a one-year, $9 million contract with the Eagles, but retired after 5 games.
Smith was drafted 122nd overall by the Ravens in 2015. Since then, he has racked up 343 combined tackles, 70.5 sacks, 16 passes defensed, and 2 forced returns in 145 regular-season games. He has played 9 playoff games, recording 18 tackles, 4 sacks, and one pass defensed. Smith has one second-team All-Pro and three Pro Bowl selections on his CV.
Smith played high school football in Alabama. After graduation, he played a couple of years of JUCO football (Junior College) at East Mississippi Community College. The Kentucky Wildcats picked him up. In his final two years of college football, Smith had 119 tackles, 14 TFLs, 11 sacks, 3 passes defensed, and two forced returns.