{
  "id": 4727892,
  "title": "Za’Darius Smith Reveals Emotional Family Reason For Retirement And Return to NFL",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/zadarius-smith-reveals-emotional-family-reason-for-retirement-and",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-31T22:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/za-darius-smith-reveals-emotional-221500237.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Za'Darius Smith, a 34-year-old pass rusher, has returned to the NFL after officially retiring last October. His decision to leave the sport was due to the personal reason of being with his ailing mother, who had passed away shortly after his grandmother and father. Smith recently revealed that his late mother's wish for him to be in Atlanta with the Falcons played a significant role in his return to the team. The Falcons signed Smith not only for his Pro Bowl selections but also for the renewed energy he claims he has returned with. Smith explained that he was struggling mentally before deciding to come back to playing. He stated that the joy of winning and making sacks is what drives him now. Despite turning 34 in early September, Smith still believes he has plenty of energy left in his career. He has recorded 343 tackles over his career and is aiming to reach a milestone of 100 career sacks, having sat at 70.5 sacks when he retired. Smith's return to the Falcons has been described as a homecoming, bringing a hungry player with a personal reason to win to a team that could use the edge rusher.",
  "summary": "Za'Darius Smith explains his emotional return to Atlanta, citing his late mother's wish and a goal to reach 100 career sacks. Read his story.",
  "key_points": [
    "Za Darius Smith retired in October 2022 due to family reasons.",
    "His late mother's wish for him to be in Atlanta with the Falcons influenced his return.",
    "Smith aims to reach 100 career sacks, currently at 70.5."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}