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Za'Darius Smith would have made millions in NIL but Detroit Lions DE is glad he didn't
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- Za'Darius Smith would have made millions in NIL but Detroit Lions DE is glad he didn't
Za'Darius Smith has three sacks in five games with the Detroit Lions since coming over in a deadline trade with the Cleveland Browns last month. Smith has given the Lions' injury-riddled defense a veteran pass-rush presence up front.
He talked with the Free Press for this week's Q&A session.
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Some questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.
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It's almost Christmas, so let's start with that. What was the Christmas tradition in family?
Just being around family. Seeing people from out of town that I haven't saw for a while. And receiving gifts. Yeah, man. Receiving gifts and eating good food.
What was on the table for Christmas dinner?
Dressing for sure. That was my favorite. Mac and cheese. Some yams. A little bit of turkey. Grandma had pecans. She was the lady that had the pecans and she cooked them. So that was my favorite thing when Christmas came around.
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What was your favorite gift you remember receiving as a kid?
Favorite gift? The small scooters. When they came out, I think it was like 2007. The electric scooters you charge up. You had the little trunk on the back. Yeah, I had one of those. Yeah, man, I had one. That was the best one I felt like.
You tool around the neighborhood with that?
Yeah, I feel like it was a thing that had just happened and everybody in the neighborhood had one and they was talking about it and I was able to get one, too. So we all was riding on Christmas. Battery going out, but we still had a chance to ride it.
Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) hugs mascot Roary to celebrate 52-6 win over Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.
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The defensive line is doing its "secret Santa" this weekend. What's the best you've received from a teammate?
I haven't received anything. I'm more about giving now.
OK, what's your favorite one you gave?
That's a hard one, but I'm doing a foundation. I'm doing three Christmas giveaways. One for here from Detroit, one from back home in Greenville, Alabama, and one in Montgomery, Alabama. So yeah, I'm doing toy drives for every kid, so I guess that's the best thing.
What's your favorite road stadium to play in and why?
San Fran. Cause the atmosphere, and I never won there.
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Maybe in two weeks.
I know.
What do you like so much about the atmosphere?
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) is pressured by Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) on Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024.
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I'm thinking it's the weather. The people there, they just filthy drunk. The time change. Everything. Just everything.
Next one: NIL was not a thing when you were in college?
Yeah, I'm glad it wasn't.
Why?
'Cause I would've been too focused on the money at the time. I feel like during my time in college, it was the last part of me getting to the big leagues. If I would've had that money in college, I probably wouldn't even have been worrying about the big leagues. Cause I would've been trying to take care of mom. 'Cause I had a kid at the time, so I'm glad I didn't get the money. It kept me hungry. Yeah, man. And I didn't get that much when I got drafted, so it's like I still had that hunger. And still have it to this day, too.
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That's interesting, cause it's a lot of money.
Yeah, but the kids are not doing it to better their game, they're doing it to take care of their family. I feel like for college for me, in NIL, I wouldn't have paid any attention to it. I would've wanted to go somewhere where I could get coached up and learn the game and really become a better football player.
How much would you have been worth if there was NIL back in the day?
I'm talking to my coaches from back in college and they're telling me kids now are trying to get $2 mil, like defensive ends trying to get $2 mil a year. So that's $2 mil a year I know for sure. I would've probably got $4 (million). No more than $4 (million) a year. Yeah, cause I was the No. 1 defensive end coming out of junior college so somebody would've paid me some good money.
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What's the most painful injury you've ever had?
I would say my back injury. Bulging disc. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was painful.
What did it feel like?
Just the nerve. The bulge was hitting my nerve, going down my leg. (It didn't last) that long. Probably about a week. After I felt it, I got it fixed.
Does it ever give you problems now?
No. Hell no. I'm still playing, right? Got eight sacks.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson during the second half at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland.
Perfect segue. So, last one: what quarterback in NFL history would you most want to sack and why?
Tom Brady . Obviously it'll never happen, but I've tried so many times. I never could get to him. The last time I tried they beat us in (the 2021 NFC) championship game. That was my last chance.
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He wasn't the most mobile quarterback. Why was he so tough to sack?
Just knowing protections. He was a guy who knew where to pick up the best rusher at during that time. So he kept two guys on me. Yeah, throughout the whole game. Yeah. Center and the guard.
He's the one that got away, but you got a lot of pelts on the wall.
Yeah, for sure I do. Sixty-eight sacks.
Who are you most proud of getting, of those 68?
Lamar Jackson . 'Cause I played with him when he got drafted and went to another team and was able to go back and sack him. And Michael Vick .
I didn't realize you played against Vick.
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My rookie year. That was his last year with the Steelers . … (In the third quarter). Got him. Sacked him back to back.
Dave Birkett is the author of the new book, " Detroit Lions : An Illustrated Timeline."
Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions Za'Darius Smith on his favorite sack, playing before NIL
