Za’Darius Smith has rejoined the NFL after retiring midway through last season, shedding light on his departure.
The 33-year-old recently signed with the Atlanta Falcons and disclosed during a news conference on Wednesday, August 26, that his sudden retirement was prompted by his mother’s deteriorating health.
“I said I wasn’t going to tell the story, but I’m going to tell it,” Smith shared, recalling the call from his mother’s doctor, who informed him, “telling me that she don’t have much longer to be on this Earth.”
At the time, Smith was with the Philadelphia Eagles and had participated in five games. The news led him to take a break from football to spend precious moments with his mother.
“I let the team know. Obviously, they weren’t trying to let me leave, but that was the only thing I had left — to retire,” he explained. “So, I retired.”
Smith’s challenges didn’t end there.
“After losing my mom, I lost my grandma,” he revealed. “Then after my grandma, I just lost my dad, so y’all obviously know what I’ve been through.”
He continued, “This is my happy place, come back, play football. I was in a dark place, but you know, coming out, running out on the field, the fans — not just the fans, man, the joy that I get from winning and just getting sacks.”
Smith noted that when he retired, he had achieved 70 career sacks, and now aims to reach 100.
Upon deciding to return to football, Smith initially tried out for the Cleveland Browns, but they couldn’t finalize a contract. When the Falcons approached him, it seemed like the perfect fit.
“It’s close to home for me. I’m originally from Alabama. I’m just happy to be back,” he said. “My mom — rest her soul, man — she always wanted me to be in Atlanta with the Falcons.”
“You’ll know the reason why now,” Smith concluded, “because I haven’t been that happy in a long time.”
Smith’s move also allowed him to bond with Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who is mourning his wife’s death from cancer.
“I don’t know if he knew about mine or not, but he told me, and I said, ‘Coach, come here, man — just give me a hug because I know exactly what you’re going through, man,’” Smith recalled. “So that’s how we immediately connected.”
Smith and the Falcons will kick off their regular season on Sunday, September 13, when they travel to Pittsburgh to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.
