Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Za'Darius Smith abruptly retired from the NFL on Monday, which was shocking to say the least. Here's why he decided to call it quits, according to an NFL insider.
Why did Za'Darius Smith retire? NFL insider shares details behind unexpected decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Eagles are left with a hole along the edge after veteran edge rusher Za'Darius Smith announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday.
Smith was inked by the Eagles after Week 1 and has appeared in all five of the team's games since signing on in Philly, including the Week 6 contest.
Smith was playing solid football, also, with the three-time Pro Bowler tallying 1.5 sacks and 10 pressures in that span, which is made more impressive by the fact that Smith only played 38% of snaps.
Because of the decision coming out of nowhere six weeks into the 2025 campaign, it left many wondering what happened to make him retire like this.
Was it a problem with the Eagles? Is it a personal issue?
We now have our answer from The Athletic's Dianna Russini.
Why did Za'Darius Smith retire?
According to Russini, Smith's decision has nothing to do with the Eagles, but it is rather for a personal reason, the details of which Russini did not disclose.
"I’m told Za’Darius Smith’s decision to retire is a personal one. It has nothing to do with the Eagles," Russini reported.
Smith, 33, had a strong NFL career that included three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro nod. He tallied double-digit sacks three times, and posted 8.5 or more five times.
What Smith's retirement means for Eagles
With Smith out of the picture, the Eagles are left with Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, Jalyx Hunt and Patrick Johnson at edge rusher on the depth chart.
Through six games, Johnson is the only one of that group that has a sack, and he only has one. Smith's 1.5 sacks were more than the entire group combined.
Safe to say, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has some work to do. Look for Philly to make at least one move to address the position group ahead of the deadline, which falls on Nov. 4.
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