Although he hadn’t yet signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, Za’Darius Smith watched the Eagles’ season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys intently.
“I had a sense that I was coming,” Smith said with a smile after his first practice with Philadelphia, according to the Eagles’ official website. “They actually wanted to get me here Tuesday before that game to where I could possibly play Thursday.
“And at the end, they told me to stay at home, spend a couple more days with my family and they’ll just get me here next week. Just happy to be here and can’t wait to get going.”
Smith may have only just gotten to Philadelphia, but he’s expecting to be a full participant on Sunday in the Eagles’ next game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a rematch of Super Bowl LIX.
“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “I’m ready to go, man. Like I said, this is my first day back. I feel good. Got back in the backfield a couple times. Just been working with the younger guys on the line, us coordinating rushes with each other and basically containing the quarterback. I’m going to be good, I’m going to be ready to go.”
Smith said that he feels he landed in the perfect spot for him.
“You know, man, I had a lot of teams calling, but I just felt comfortable coming to Philly,” Smith said. “I know Ogbo (Okoronkwo), we was together in Cleveland. I talked to him and he was just telling me about the organization, the locker room and the great people that are here. Dom (DiSandro), one of the head guys. Man, I love Dom.
“Just this whole team and this culture, man. I love everything about it. Hey, they just got a Super Bowl and hopefully we can get it again. But we’re just going to take it one week at a time and go 1-0 each and every week.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.