The Detroit Lions kicked off their 2025-26 season on Sunday, September 7, with a hard loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the team’s weakness on both offense and defense was apparent. They could have sure used defensive end Za’Darius Smith, but the Lions refused to sign him this season and he ended up with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, it’s early in the season, so let’s just see if the Lions can rebound this weekend against the Chicago Bears, and hopefully they’ll do just that. But, either way, they’ll have to forge ahead without Smith, who seems happy to be with the reigning NFL champions. We have to be happy for Smith for finally landing a deal, but he was a Lions favorite, so it stings to see him with another team.
Now, Smith is talking about his new team, the Eagles, and why he’s so excited to be on their roster. He’s all smiles in his first interview about joining the Eagles.
Former Detroit Lions Player Talks Joining the Philadelphia Eagles
Smith opened up this week about his move to the Eagles, and he said some strong things about his decision. Some of his words could be taken as a little dig on Detroit, but who can blame him?
“I had a lot of teams calling, but I just felt comfortable with coming to Philly,” Smith said when asked about his role in Philadelphia by reporters on Wednesday, September 10. “I know Ogbo (Okoronkwo), we was together there in Cleveland.”
He added, “I talked to him, and he was just telling me about the organization, the locker room, and the great people here … Just this whole team and the culture, I love everything about it. And hey, they just got a Super Bowl, and hopefully we can go get it again.”
So, him praising the organization, team and culture could be a little dig on Detroit, but we’ll let him have it.
Za’Darius Smith Seemed to Want to Be With the Lions
NFL insider Jordan Schultz broke the news of Smith’s signing on X on Friday, September 5. The #Eagles are signing 3x Pro Bowl OLB Za’Darius Smith to a 1-year deal with upside to $9M, per multiple sources,” he said. Philly adds to its pass-rush with Smith, who recorded 9 sacks with the Lions and Browns last season.” Perhaps his girlfriend, Detroit rapper Kash Doll, will be rocking an Eagles jersey now instead of the Lions one she was wearing earlier this week.
It’s no secret that Smith wanted to be in Detroit and play for the Lions this season. Earlier this year, he said just that when asked about where he wanted to land. We both know where I want to be,” Smith told Tyler Dragon of USA Today Sports in June when asked about his stance with the Detroit Lions and where he wanted to play football in the coming season.
But, it wasn’t meant to be. We wish Smith the best of luck with the Eagles, as long as it’s not against the Lions. At least he didn’t go to another NFC North team.
Ex-Lions Favorite Takes a Dig at Detroit After Eagles Signing