Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons²

Za'Darius Smith

Defensive End, Atlanta Falcons · #55.

Player facts

Team: Atlanta Falcons
Position: Defensive End
Number: 55
Born: Sep 8, 1992 (age 34)
Birthplace: Greenville, AL, USA
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 270 lbs
College: Kentucky
Experience: 11 seasons
Status: Active

Stats

2026 Defense

	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	FF	FR	YDS	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	PD	STF	STFYDS	KB
Regular Season	6	4	2	2.5	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	1	2	7	0
Career	349	227	122	73	10	2	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	17	40.5	79	1

Recent games

			Tackles				Fumbles		Interceptions
Date	Opponent	Result	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	FF	FR	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	PD	KB
Mon, Oct 5	@ NO	W 45-24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Thu, Sep 24	@ GB	W 35-14	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Sun, Sep 20	vs CAR	L 34-3	2	1	1	0.5	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	1	0
Sun, Sep 13	@ PIT	L 20-13	3	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0

Last 4 games. Click a game for its box score.

About

Za'Darius Smith (born September 8, 1992) is an American professional football defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Mississippi Lions and Kentucky Wildcats. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He also played for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.

From Wikipedia’s article on Za'Darius Smith, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.¹

Background

Early life

Smith attended Greenville High School in Greenville, Alabama. Smith played basketball in high school and did not start playing football until his senior year.

College career

Smith played college football for two years at East Mississippi Community College before transferring to the University of Kentucky. In his two years at East Mississippi, he recorded 66 tackles and 11 sacks. In his first year at Kentucky, Smith started all 12 games and recorded 59 tackles and six sacks, which ranked seventh in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). As a senior in 2014, Smith had 60 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Personal life

Smith is the uncle of Detroit Lions tight end Jackson Meeks.

Legal troubles

On September 29, 2019, Smith was cited by the Racine County Sheriff's Office for possession of marijuana and speeding in a construction zone. Smith and teammates Rashan Gary and Kingsley Keke were returning to Green Bay from Chicago when a deputy stopped them for driving 81 mph in a 60-mph construction zone near the intersection of Interstate 94 and Highway 20 in the town of Mount Pleasant. The deputy smelled the odor of marijuana in the vehicle and searched it, discovering three blunts and a THC vaping cartridge in a duffel bag in the rear of the vehicle. None of the men appeared to be high or had any drugs or paraphernalia on their persons when searched, but all three were briefly placed in handcuffs, questioned separately, and then released after Smith admitted to ownership of the paraphernalia, as well as to smoking marijuana before leaving Chicago. Smith cooperated with the officer throughout the incident, and hired a lawyer who entered a plea of not guilty on both charges. On July 30, 2020, the Racine County prosecutor dismissed the charges.

From Wikipedia’s article on Za'Darius Smith, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article.¹