Za’Darius Smith Embracing Football, Falcons Camaraderie After Dominant Debut

New Atlanta Falcons Za'Darius Smith and his 'Dog Crawl' celebration were a hit in his debut on Sunday.

Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Za'Darius Smith had two sacks in his debut on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Za’Darius Smith didn't need many snaps to make his presence felt in his Atlanta Falcons debut.

The veteran pass rusher played just 16 defensive snaps against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but he made the most of his limited workload, recording two sacks, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits in Atlanta's 20-13 loss.

"Very comfortable," Smith said on Monday when asked how he's settling in with the Falcons. "Big shout-out to coach (OLB coach John Timu) for not rushing me back. Easing me back into the game. I went through a little shoulder injury. I think I had more like soreness in the shoulder, and he looked out for me last week and got me right to where I was able to get 15 to 16 snaps in the game yesterday.

"So, felt like I did good. But, you know, the overall thing was we took a L. So just trying to figure out ways to get a dub this weekend."

Despite the shoulder issue, Smith was able to prepare and ultimately play 15-16 snaps, showing the impact he can provide even while Atlanta continues to ramp up his workload.

For Smith, though, his return to the field is about more than simply producing on Sundays.

He's enjoying being back in football and embracing the fun that comes with playing the game. That mindset has also carried over into his relationship with his new teammates, as Smith has quickly embraced the camaraderie inside Atlanta's locker room.

He's even planning to host teammates to watch Thursday Night Football together, another example of Smith looking to build chemistry away from the practice field.

That camaraderie will continue into Atlanta's first home game of the season against the Carolina Panthers.

Smith said he plans to bring members of his church to the game, with approximately 40-45 people expected to make the trip on a Greyhound bus to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It's a unique way for Smith to bring a piece of his community with him as he begins his first season in Atlanta.

And after what he showed in Pittsburgh, Falcons fans have plenty of reason to be excited about what Smith can provide once he's fully healthy and his workload increases.

Smith also gave Falcons fans another glimpse of his personality after revealing the origin of his sack celebration.

"It's actually the dog crawl," said Smith of his sack celebration. "One of my teammates from Baltimore, if you guys remember name, Tim Williams, that played at Alabama. He was the first one that did it in Baltimore, and I was like, 'Bro, I'm gonna use that.' And ever since I started getting sacks after that, I did it every time. So it's a dog crawl, with me eating and then me getting full at the same time. So, I stuck with it, and I've been doing it for over 10 years now."

The production was impressive, but Smith's attitude may be just as important for Atlanta.

After spending time away from the game and entering a new environment, the veteran is clearly enjoying the opportunity in Atlanta. He's comfortable in the scheme, building relationships with his teammates, and already finding ways to bring his personal community into the Falcons' season.

If Smith can maintain Sunday's level of disruption as his health and workload improve, Atlanta could have added a significant piece to its pass rush.

And if the "Dog Crawl" continues making appearances, Falcons fans may quickly become familiar with Smith's new celebration.

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