After the Atlanta Falcons' hideous loss in Week 1 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-13, the team is looking to bounce back with its home opener on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. With Week 2 crucial for the Falcons' start of the season, the game will no doubt be a special one for Za'Darius Smith.

Smith abruptly retired last season with the Philadelphia Eagles due to the health of his mother, Sharon, with a doctor informing him that she did not have long to live.

Living out the rest of her days with Smith, there's no denying the emotional state he was in, which led him to return to play football for Atlanta this season, a team she always wanted him to play for since it's relatively close to their home in Montgomery, Alabama, according to ESPN.

In an effort to honor his mother, Smith is bringing his entire church for the home opener on Sunday.

“This weekend I'm bringing my church up. I know it's something that my mom always wanted, so I got a Greyhound bus pulling up this weekend to my church to bring them up for the game, for the first game,” Smith said, via Jordan Schultz. “So that's gonna be big for me. So if y'all see them on the sidelines, just give them a couple words, and ask questions about the young Z, if you don't mind.”

#Falcons DE Za'Darius Smith, coming off a 2-sack game in Week 1, says he’s bringing his entire church to Sunday’s home opener.

He says it’s something his late mother always wanted him to do. 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/12b47OK1jU

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 15, 2026

Falcons' Za'Darius Smith speaks more on bringing his church to the game

Smith is looking to put on a show and continue the momentum after recording two sacks in the season opener last Sunday, emphasizing the excitement he has for bringing up his church, saying that he knows his mom is “smiling down” on them.

“But yeah, excited for that, man, and can't wait. I think we got the tickets now,” Smith said. “It's at 45 people. Got everybody some T-shirts, and man, gonna feed them good. Got a little envelope. I'm gonna put something nice in there for him, man. So I know my mom; she's smiling down.”

The emotional game for Smith will come this Sunday against the Panthers.