Instant impact in limited action

Smith played only 16 defensive snaps in his Falcons debut against Pittsburgh but recorded two sacks, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.

Easing back from shoulder injury

Smith credited coach John Timu for not rushing him back from shoulder soreness. The limited snap count was by design to protect his recovery.

“Big shout-out to coach (OLB coach John Timu) for not rushing me back. Easing me back into the game.”

Team first despite personal success

Smith acknowledged his strong performance but stayed focused on the loss. He's already looking for ways to help the team get a win this weekend.

“But, you know, the overall thing was we took a L. So just trying to figure out ways to get a dub this weekend.”

More than just Sunday production

Smith is enjoying being back in football and embracing the fun of playing the game again after time away.

Building chemistry off the field

Smith is quickly embracing camaraderie in Atlanta's locker room. He's even planning to host teammates to watch Thursday Night Football together.

Bringing his church to the game

Smith plans to bring 40-45 members of his church to the Carolina game. They'll travel together on a Greyhound bus to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Community connection in Atlanta

The church trip is Smith's unique way of bringing a piece of his community with him as he begins his first season with the Falcons.

The story behind the celebration

Smith's sack celebration is called the dog crawl. He borrowed it from former Baltimore teammate Tim Williams, who played at Alabama.

“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.”

A decade-long tradition continues

Smith has been doing the dog crawl celebration for over 10 years. He started using it after seeing Williams do it in Baltimore.

Attitude matters as much as stats

Smith's positive mindset and enjoyment of the game may be just as valuable as his on-field production for Atlanta's locker room.

Comfortable in the new scheme

The veteran is already comfortable in Atlanta's defensive scheme and building strong relationships with teammates while integrating his personal community into the season.

Big things ahead when fully healthy

If Smith maintains this level of disruption as his health and workload improve, Atlanta may have added a significant weapon to its pass rush.