With their edge-rushing room in shambles after losing both Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. for extended period of time, the Atlanta Falcons took a chance on Za'Darius Smith after he came out of retirement this offseason, and the veteran is already making that decision look pretty smart…
Through his first six appearances of the 2026 season (he missed the Week 5 loss to the Ravens due to a concussion), Smith has been a pleasant surprise. He's recorded 4.5 sacks and 13 pressures, emerging as one of Atlanta's more productive pass-rushers despite spending much of the previous year away from football.
It's an impressive turnaround for a player who abruptly retired from the NFL last October while dealing with devastating personal circumstances. Now, the 34-year-old is back doing what he loves, and the Falcons are getting far more than just veteran depth out of their late offseason addition.
Za'Darius Smith's NFL comeback has been years in the making
Za'Darius Smith's sudden retirement from the Philadelphia Eagles in October 2025 initially caught many around the NFL by surprise.
After all, he was still a productive veteran with 70.5 career sacks and three Pro Bowl selections. And at 33 years old, there was little indication that he had completely run out of football left to play. However, Smith revealed in August that his decision had nothing to do with his ability on the field.
"I got a phone call from my mom's doctor telling me that she don't have much longer to be on this Earth," Smith explained during his introductory press conference with the Falcons.
Smith ultimately retired to spend time with his mother before she passed away. He then lost both his grandmother and father, leaving him in an extremely difficult place emotionally.
"I was in a dark place," Smith admitted. "This is my happy place, come back and play football."
Smith slowly worked his way back into training after his personal trainer encouraged him to start exercising again. Eventually, the workouts turned into a legitimate attempt at returning to the NFL.
And while the three-time Pro Bowler initially explored a reunion with the Cleveland Browns, the two sides couldn't agree on a contract - That opened the door for his former Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski and the Atlanta Falcons, who signed him to a one year, $6 million deal in August.
Falcons are getting more than they expected out of Za'Darius Smith
The Falcons weren't exactly in a comfortable position when they signed Za'Darius Smith.
Atlanta had already lost Jalon Walker to a season-ending ACL tear, while James Pearce Jr. was about to face an eight-game suspension. With two important pieces of their pass rush unavailable, the Falcons needed someone who could contribute instantly and step up as a leader in their absence…
Sure, Smith is no longer the same player who recorded 13.5 sacks with the Green Bay Packers in 2019 or 12.5 the following season. But Atlanta doesn't need him to be that guy.
They need someone who can get after opposing quarterbacks, make plays in important situations and give defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich another reliable option along the defensive line.
And right now, not only is Za'Darius Smith is checking all those boxes, he's been turning back the clock to come through for a Falcons.
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