Za'Darius Smith - , falcons Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-14 | Full transcript (primary source).
Za'Darius Smith addressed the media during a press conference for the Atlanta Falcons on September 14, 2026. The discussion focused on his recent return from a shoulder injury and the team's efforts to improve following a loss in their last game.
Transcript
Smith: Very comfortable, man. Big shout out to coach for just not rushing me back, you know what I'm saying, easing me back into the game. I went through a little shoulder injury. I had more like soreness in the shoulder, man. And he looked out for me last weekend, got me right to where I was able to get 15 to 16 snaps in the game yesterday. So felt like I did good. But the overall thing was we took an L. So we're just trying to figure out ways to get a dub this weekend.
Smith: Yeah, it felt great, man, obviously, to get those chills again from running out of the tunnel. But a sad moment for me was after the game for me not being able to call my folks, man, and telling what I did on the field. Because my mom used to always talk about Aaron Rodgers. When I left Green Bay and went to Minnesota and I had to play against the Packers, was always go get Aaron Rodgers, get him on the ground. And man, I had an opportunity to do that yesterday. And that was the only sad part was I couldn't call her and talk to her about it.
Smith: Man, it's actually the dog crawl. One of my teammates from Baltimore, if you guys remember, named Tim Williams that played at Alabama. He was the first one that did it in Baltimore. And I was like, bro, I'm going to use that. And ever since I started getting sacks after that, I did it every time. So it's a dog crawl with me eating and then me getting full at the same time. So I stuck with it and been doing it for over 10 years now.
Smith: Yeah, man. Yeah, man. And it's all a team celebration. I know that was one thing that I told the guys that we got to celebrate, you know what I'm saying? After big plays, we got to celebrate together as a team. And I think you saw it after Cam got the force fumble. And we went into the end zone, man, and we rolled the bowling ball, man, for the bowling pins and everybody fell down. So that's big for me, man. That's a happy moment. And that's another thing that I missed from the game was those celebration and just smiling and being joyful with my teammates.
Smith: I would say just doing the little things, man. Obviously, the fun part comes from making plays. But just preparation throughout the week from the young guys, man, I think we was just in meetings. And we had to be out by 1 o'clock. And what is 1.37? Guys wanted to stay and watch the rest of the film because we didn't have time left. So when we talk about the little things, that's what I'm talking about, man. I was just staying after practice, wanting to get more work, you know what I'm saying? So I feel like that's how we're going to become a better team and a better defense by just continuing to do the little things.
Smith: We harp on that every day, stopping the run, stopping the run. And that would come first, like you said, first and second down. And then it put us in situations to where we get the third down. And, man, hopefully we can have a party in the backfield like we did a couple of times yesterday. So if we just continue to do that, we'll be good, man. Just can't wait to get this week going. I know we got an off day tomorrow. But coming back, preparing for the Panthers, man, is going to be big for us for the home opener.
Smith: I would say the football part of it. But the crazy part about it is the off the field. Having guys over. I just got my house, and I already invited the whole defense over. We're going to do Thursday night football. I got a shelf coming in, going to cook some lamb chops, some lobster tails, man. And just having that team camaraderie at the house, I got like a pool table, got the pool, man. So we're basically going to have a good time, man. And just that togetherness, just bringing us together, man. It's going to help us play better each and every week.
Smith: It's a big day in our division. It's going to be my first time, I think, playing them since 2020, COVID year, against the Packers, man. So to be able to come play them again is big. But obviously, just got to continue to do the little things like we was talking about, man. Just stopping to run on first and second down and getting ready to have a good time on third down to where we could party in the backfield after getting a sack.
Smith: Close enough. Like I said, Coach is doing a great job at looking out for me, man, and giving me the bet that he used to where I can rest and recover. Like I said, I'm year 12, man. So he's not going to put too much on me. But at the same time, we're going to get the work done. So I can say I'm in the 80% around there. But hopefully, give me a couple more weeks and I'll be where I need to be 100% for sure.
Smith: Baltimore 2015 to 2018, Terrell Suggs, Elvis Doomerville, Eric Weddle, and CJ Mosby all came together and did something every week for us. And I was able to go off to Green Bay. And when I went to Green Bay, I just took everything that I learned in Baltimore and took it with me. And ever since then, I've been doing it every year since I've been in the league. But it's big, man. I feel like when guys come together outside of football and have that team camaraderie, you get to know one another better, you know what I'm saying? And when you guys are tied on the field, you know exactly what that guy's going to give and what I'm going to give because I know my guy's tied. So basically, just building that relationship. But it stuck with me for a long time and I'm going to keep it going and hopefully I can pass it down to the younger guys and they can do it once I'm done with football.
Smith: So I know y'all got to get y'all stories. This weekend, I'm bringing my church up. I know it's something that my mom always wanted. So I got a Greyhound bus pulling up this weekend to my church to bring them up for the game, for the first game. So that's going to be big for me, man. So if y'all see them on the sidelines, just give them a couple of words and ask questions about the young Z, if you don't mind. But yeah, I'm excited for that, man. I can't wait.
Smith: I think we've got the tickets now. It's at 45 people. So yeah, got everybody some T-shirts, and man, going to feed them good. Got a little envelope. I'm going to put some nice in there for them, man. So I know my mom, she's smiling down. I'm going to be happy for this one, man. So I can't wait.
Smith: Yeah, and I feel like, you know, yesterday, as a collective, you know, we rushed together. We had good options when it was out there for us, one. The plan was to make him feel as uncomfortable as possible, to let him sit back in the pocket and, you know, pick apart our defense. And I feel like we did a good job, hit him at the spot, hit him a couple of times, sacked him twice. I feel like we did a good job as a whole.
Smith: Yeah, you know, it's hard for these guys to come in, you know, and to attack style front and learn the ways of, you know, how to play it and, you know, not just that, but play with different people. You know, it's a whole different front that I'm rushing with, you know, from last year. But, you know, I've learned a lot with these guys in practice, you know, I understand what they're trying to get at, you know, they understand what I'm trying to get at, you know. And then when we're on the same page and everybody's, you know, you know, together, I feel like everything works out really well.
