A veteran pass rusher for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles unexpectedly retired in the middle of the NFL season.

Za'Darius Smith announced his retirement in an Instagram post on Monday, Oct. 13. The 33-year-old edge rusher's decision came about five weeks after joining the Eagles.

Smith's retirement is a significant loss for Philly's pass rush, which was already depleted due to rookie Nolan Smith Jr. landing on the injured reserve with a triceps injury. According to Pro Football Talk, the Eagles will need to rely on Joshua Uche, Jalyx Hunt, Patrick Johnson, and Azeez Ojulari in their edge rushing rotation.

The three-time Pro Bowler started his NFL career in 2015 as a fourth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens out of the University of Kentucky.

"I knew this day would

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