Za'Darius Smith has retired from the NFL after 11 seasons.
Smith most recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after Week 1. He would start two of the five games in which he played with the team, recording 1.5 sacks in the process. Philadelphia had been his fifth team in as many seasons.
The Alabama native was one of the first blue-chip recruits for head coach Mark Stoops. He chose the Wildcats over Florida State and other top tier programs. In two seasons with UK, he recorded 119 tackles and 10.5 sacks before being taken in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
Smith played four seasons with Baltimore and parlayed that success into a lucrative 4-year, $66 million contract with the Green Bay Packers. His time in the NFC North brought national recognition; first being selected to the first of his three Pro Bowls in 2019 and then his lone All-Pro recognition in 2020. Smith became one of the most feared pass rushers in the league from 2019-2020 when he recorded 26 total sacks and 5 forced fumbles.
In a cost-saving move, Green Bay released him in 2022 and he signed a three-year contract with the rival Minnesota Vikings. After one season in Minneapolis, during which he posted 10 sacks, the pass rusher was traded to Cleveland. He was a productive pass rusher opposite Myles Garrett for a little more than one season. In 2024, he was traded for the final time to Detroit. The Lions did not re-sign him and Smith remained unsigned until September.
Monday's news brings an end to Smith's career, which resulted in 70.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles.