Eagles' Za'Darius Smith Retires from NFL After Loss to Giants and Shocks Fans

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Za'Darius Smith announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday in an Instagram post, just five games after signing with the team this season.

"I knew this day would come—but now that it's here, I'm feeling so many emotions I never expected," he wrote in part. "Who would've thought that a kid from Greenville, AL, with just one year of high school football experience, would go on to play professional football in the NFL for 11 incredible years! This game has given me the opportunity to meet great coaches, compete alongside some of the best players ever, and represent some of the greatest organizations in the league. Football has transformed my life and my family's lives forever—and for that, I'm forever grateful."

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that it was a "personal" decision:

The midseason nature of the announcement surprised fans:

Smith, 33, appeared in five games for the Eagles (two starts) this season, registering 1.5 sacks, 10 tackles (two for loss) and three quarterback hits. He was signed on Sept. 5 to help address the team's need for more pass-rushing depth and reportedly is bypassing significant potential incentives but retiring now:

The team's options at the edge were not only depleted in the offseason, when Josh Sweat left in free agency, but also have been affected by in-season injuries to Nolan Smith (potentially back around Week 9) and Ogbo Okoronkwo (out for the season). The team's main options at pass-rusher are now Jalyx Hunt, Azeez Ojulari, Josh Uche and Patrick Johnson.

That group has combined to post just one sack between them, and the Eagles are tied for 25th in the NFL with only nine sacks on the season. For context, the Birds sacked Patrick Mahomes six times alone in last year's Super Bowl win.

So Howie Roseman likely will be making a few phone calls in the coming weeks to address what has become a significant concern for the team's defense.

As for Smith, he retires with 70.5 career sacks, 87 tackles for loss and 176 quarterback hits across parts of 11 seasons. He was a three-time Pro Bowler in a career that included stops with the Baltimore Ravens (2015-18), Green Bay Packers (2019-21), Minnesota Vikings (2022), Cleveland Browns (2023-24), Detroit Lions (2024) and the Eagles.