Packers’ 2x Pro Bowler Shocks NFL with Sudden Mid-Season Retirement
Prior to the 2019 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers made some drastic changes to their roster on the defensive side of the ball. Not only did they use their two first round picks that year on defensive players (Darnell Savage and Rashan Gary), but they also signed three of the biggest names on the free agent market to bolster their defense.
These players were safety Adrian Amos and pass rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. All three had terrific tenures with Green Bay, though each of them eventually moved on to different teams.
The first to do so was Za’Darius, who, after making two Pro Bowls in his first two seasons with the Packers, had a massive falling out with the organization and ended up being released before his contract ran its course.
Former Green Bay Packers Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith has retired from the NFL
Packers24 39 Hoffman
In his first season with the Packers, Smith had 13.5 sacks and made his first career Pro Bowl. In 2020, he had 12.5 sacks, made the Pro Bowl again, and was named Second Team All-Pro.
But in 2021, his third season with Green Bay, Smith came down with a mysterious back ailment and spent most of the year away from the team. And while he did return at the end of the year and played in their postseason game, it was clear that Smith and the Packers were on their way to a messy divorce.
And when Green Bay released him following the season, he made no secret that he held a grudge against the Packers. He signed with their hated rival, the Minnesota Vikings, for the 2022 season in order to get some sort of revenge against them. Smith had a decent season for Minnesota, notching 10.0 sacks and making his third Pro Bowl.
But since that year, Smith has had trouble sticking with any team. After one full season with Cleveland in 2023, he was traded midway through the 2024 season to the Detroit Lions.
And after the Lions opted not to bring him back in 2025, Smith remained a free agent until after the season started before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Smith played five games and recorded 1.5 sacks for the defending Super Bowl champions this season, but has decided that enough is enough and has called it a career:
Smith ends his career with 70.5 sacks and 343 total tackles.
Broncos Star Gets Honest About Jets QB Justin Fields After Historic Day
The Denver Broncos, and specifically their defense, had a
The Broncos sacked Fields 9 times during the contest.
It was a strong effort from Cooper and the Broncos’ defense when the offense did not have its best at different points.
Jonathan Cooper Gets Real About Justin Fields After Broncos Beat Jets
GettyDenver Broncos defensive ends Jonathon Cooper and John Franklin-Myers.
One fan asked Cooper on X what Fields had done to him, since the
Naturally, Cooper expressed his affinity for Fields, citing their last campaign in Columbus.
“Lead me to a national championship,” Cooper posted on X on October 13. “I love him fr forever my brother.”
The 9th and most important sack of the day.
In addition to the Broncos snapping droughts of various lengths through different combinations of metrics, they held Fields to 45 yards passing on 52.9% completion. The passing yards are his
Moreover, the Jets lost 55 yards on those sacks, giving them a net loss of 10 yards in the game.
That is the fewest passing yards allowed in Broncos history, the first time a team has been held to negative passing yardage since 2023, and the fewest in the NFL
Notably, the Broncos also own the NFL record for fewest passing yards in a game, finishing with a loss of 53 yards against the then-
Jonathon Cooper Helps Tide Star Take Down Former Buckeyes Teammates
GettyJustin Fields #1 and Jonathon Cooper #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after defeating the Clemson
Cooper and Fields’ Buckeyes lost that National Championship Game 52-24 against the Alabama Crimson Tide
Eight Broncos players recorded at least one half-sack in the game.
Cooper, who signed a four-year, $54 million contract extension last November, led the Broncos with 2.0 sacks on Fields in the win over the Jets. In a twist of fate, Cooper is now teammates with
Surtain drew attention in this game for helping limit Jets star wideout
Up next, Cooper and the Broncos return home to face the New York Giants in Week 7.
Former Broncos QB Russell Wilson, who was also Fields’ teammate on the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, is now with the Giants, and would have been a good matchup for the Denver defense to pad its sack totals.
However, he ceded QB duties to rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart in Week 4. Wilson is now a backup who has been mentioned in trade speculation.
Justin Fields Accepts Blame for Jets Passing Game Woes vs Broncos
GettyJustin Fields of New York Jets is tackled by Eyioma Uwazurike of Denver Broncos.
Fields came under intense scrutiny during and after the game. However, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn
“Come on, man. What kind of question is that?”
Fields, who has a 799-4-0 line on 65% completion this season, accepted blame for the Jets’ passing game woes against the Broncos, saying, it “starts with me.”
“It wasn’t good enough and that starts with me”
Justin Fields talks about the passing game struggles in today’s loss:
again on Monday after the loss to Cooper and the Broncos.
