The Minnesota Vikings will be returning to action in Week 7 after enjoying their bye week in Week 6. Considering how the team had just spent two weeks in Europe, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, before picking up a victory over the Cleveland Browns in London, England, it’s safe to say that this break was well-earned.
Now, the team will have to prepare for a tough clash against the Philadelphia Eagles, who will be motivated to get back in the win column after losing their past two games. However, ahead of this game, the Eagles surprisingly lost one of their key defensive linemen, who also happened to spend time with the Vikings earlier in his career.
Eagles’ Defensive End Za’Darius Smith Abruptly Retires
One player the Vikings were preparing to square off against is defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL over the past few years. After starting his career with the Baltimore Ravens, Smith ended up finding his way to the Green Bay Packers in 2019, where he would go on to earn two straight Pro Bowl selections and an All-Pro Second Team selection in 2020.
Smith latched on with Minnesota for one season in 2022, and he ended up putting together a bounce-back campaign after missing virtually the entire 2021 campaign due to a back injury. In 16 games, Smith racked up 44 tackles, 10 sacks, five pass deflections, and one fumble forced, earning him the third Pro Bowl selection of his career.
Since then, Smith has spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions before finding his way to the Eagles this season. While Smith had 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks in five games, he never really seemed to get off the ground with his new team. On Monday, Smith surprisingly announced his retirement from the NFL, meaning he won’t face off against his former Vikings team in Week 7.
“As I step into the newest season of my life, please know this game has meant the world to me,” Smith said as part of his statement in a post on Instagram. “The lessons learned on and off the field will stay with me forever.”
Vikings Face Tall Task in Week 7 with Eagles Matchup
GettyVikings coach Kevin O’Connell
Philadelphia’s front seven on defense has been battered by injuries, and this creates another issue the team will have to find a way to overcome moving forward. For Minnesota, not having to worry about Smith is a relief, as he still was finding a way to get to the quarterback in what ended up being the final games of his NFL career.
The Vikings have to figure out who will be starting at quarterback for them in Week 7, as Carson Wentz has spent the past few weeks filling in for the injured J.J. McCarthy. Given how poorly McCarthy played to start the season, though, it remains to be seen how much of a rush the team is in to get him back on the field. Minnesota and Philadelphia’s clash is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Former Vikings Linebacker Suddenly Retires Before Facing Minnesota appeared first on Heavy Sports.