What made Za’Darius Smith retire midseason? The heartbreaking family reason behind his decision

Za’Darius Smith did not plan to retire from the NFL in 2025. He had just joined the Philadelphia Eagles and still had plenty left in the tank. But five games into the season, one phone call changed everything. His mother’s doctor told him she did not have much time left. Smith then made a choice that put family ahead of football.The three-time Pro Bowler later faced more devastating losses. His mother died, followed by his grandmother and father within months. Now back with the Atlanta Falcons, Smith has opened up about the grief that pushed him into a dark place and the game that helped him find his footing again. A phone call changed Za’Darius Smith’s NFL plansSmith signed a one-year, $9 million contract with the Eagles in March 2025. He played five games before announcing his retirement in October 2025. He finished that short stint with 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits.The decision caught Philadelphia off guard. Smith had not planned to leave football. His family situation forced him to rethink everything.Speaking to reporters in Atlanta on August 26, 2026, Smith explained what happened.“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 said during his Falcons press conference. “I let the team know. Obviously they wasn’t trying to let me leave. But that was the only thing I had left to retire.”Smith chose to spend that time with his mother. She later died, and the heartbreak continued. Smith also lost his grandmother and father within the following months.That stretch left the veteran pass rusher struggling away from football. Then, an unexpected call from Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry gave him something to think about. Berry checked on Smith and eventually invited him for a workout. The workout went well, but the two sides could not agree on the money. Why Za’Darius Smith found his way back with the FalconsAtlanta eventually gave Smith another chance. The Falcons signed him to a one-year contract on August 18, 2026, reportedly worth $6 million with incentives that could push it to $8 million.The move also carried a personal connection. Smith reunited with Kevin Stefanski, his former Browns coach. More importantly, Atlanta had a special meaning for his late mother.“My mom always wanted me to be in Atlanta with the Falcons,” Smith said, according to his August 26 press conference. Atlanta also keeps him closer to his Alabama roots.For Smith, football now means more than sacks and statistics. It gives him a place to breathe again.“This is my happy place,” Smith said during the August 26 press conference. “I was in a dark place.”Smith enters his return with 70.5 career sacks and three Pro Bowl selections. After everything he has endured, his next target is simple: 100 sacks.The Falcons may have signed him for his pass-rushing ability. For Smith, though, this comeback carries something far more personal.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.