Green Bay, WI — In a moving hypothetical scenario, Za’Darius Smith signs a one-day contract with the Green Bay Packers to officially bid farewell to the NFL in Green and Gold. This symbolic gesture closes an 11-year professional journey, bringing him back to the place that defined the peak of his career at Lambeau Field during 2019–2020.
The process is expected to be streamlined at team headquarters: Smith completes the paperwork, reunites with former teammates and coaches, then takes the field to receive a tribute from fans before kickoff. A short highlight reel of his signature plays from 2019 (13.5 sacks) and 2020 (12.5 sacks, All-Pro, 4 forced fumbles) will be shown, underscoring his impact within a pass-rush system that helped the Packers maintain NFC contender status.
“I want to end things where the most beautiful chapter of my career began. Green Bay believed in me, lifted me up, and made me feel at home. Signing a one-day deal to retire as a Packer isn’t just a formality — it’s my sincere thank-you to my teammates, coaches, and the fans at Lambeau Field. Once a Packer, always a Packer,” Smith shares in this hypothetical announcement.
Choosing Green Bay for his farewell carries multiple layers of meaning. From a football standpoint, it’s where Smith rose into the league’s elite edge rusher tier, driving front-four pressure and forcing opponents to change their protection plans. Emotionally, the Green Bay community — from the locker room to the stands — was the support system that helped him push through setbacks, including the back injury in 2021 that altered the arc of his career.
After a brilliant stint with the Packers, Smith had stops with the Vikings, Browns, Lions, and a brief spell with the Eagles. But with a one-day contract at Lambeau, he closes the circle in a fitting way: returning to the source of his prime, thanking those who traveled with him, and leaving a message of true loyalty in a professional football era defined by constant change.
For NFL fans, especially in Wisconsin, the image of No. 55 wrecking opposing backfields will remain indelible. This hypothetical ceremony would honor not just an individual, but also the Packers’ identity: building, believing, and respecting the values that have sustained their winning tradition across generations.
