Za’Darius Smith’s career in the NFL has another chapter after all.
Smith, 33, signed a one-year contract with the Falcons, the team announced Tuesday. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added that the pass rusher will get $6 million this season.
The veteran defender finds a new home less than one year after it appeared his pro football career was over. Smith signed a one-year deal with the Eagles last September and appeared in five games — with 1.5 sacks — before shockingly announcing his retirement in October.
“I knew this day would come — but now that it’s here, I’m feeling so many emotions I never expected,” Smith wrote in an Instagram post last fall. “Who would’ve thought that a kid from Greenville, AL, with just one year of high school football experience, would go on to play professional football in the NFL for 11 incredible years!”
Smith, according to Cleveland.com, was expected to sign with the Browns over the weekend but was instead offered a tryout with Atlanta, where he ultimately chose to land.
The Falcons add some pass-rush depth with the Smith move after losing 2025 first-round pick Jalon Walker with a torn ACL earlier this month. James Pearce was also suspended eight games by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for his alleged role in a domestic incident with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Smith has racked up at least 8.5 sacks in a season five times, with a career high coming in 2019 with 13.5.
In his last full season in 2024 with the Vikings and Browns, he recorded nine sacks and 35 tackles.
