Za'Darius Smith Paying For His Church Congregation to Attend Falcons Home Opener

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Za'Darius Smith told reporters Tuesday that he is paying for his church's congregation to attend his team's home opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

"This weekend I'm bringing my church up. I know that's something that my mom always wanted, so I got a Greyhound bus pulling up this weekend to my church to bring them up for the game," Smith said.

"So that's gonna be big for me, man. So if y'all see them on the sidelines, just give them a couple words and ask questions about the young Z (chuckles), if you don't mind.

"Excited for that, man, and can't wait. I think we got the tickets now, it's at 45 people? Yeah, I got everybody some T-shirts, gonna feed them good, got a little envelope. I'm gonna put something nice in there for them, man. So, I know my mom, she's smiling down, gonna be happy for this one, man, so I can't wait."

Smith's mother, Sharon Smith, passed away in February. During a meeting with reporters last month, Smith revealed he left his old team, the Philadelphia Eagles, last October after receiving news from his mother's doctor that she did not have long to live. As Smith also told reporters, his grandmother and father recently died as well.

"My mom—rest her soul, man—she always wanted me to be in Atlanta with the Falcons," Smith said.

According to Falcons senior reporter Will McFadden , Smith's church is Harrison Street Baptist in Greenville, Alabama, which is the three-time Pro Bowler's hometown and about a three-hour drive southwest of Atlanta.

Smith signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Falcons last August.

Sunday's kickoff between the Falcons and Panthers is set for 1 p.m. ET.