Three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Za'Darius Smith stepped away last year after losing three family members

Within months of abruptly stepping away from the NFL last season, Za'Darius Smith lost his mother, his grandmother, and his father in rapid succession. Now, after navigating unimaginable grief, the three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher is back on the field, using football as his sanctuary with the Atlanta Falcons . After playing for six different franchises across 11 seasons, the 33-year-old was ready to hang up his cleats when he left the Philadelphia Eagles mid-season in October 2025. FALCONS COACH