Video Has Surfaced Of Za'Darius Smith's Citation For Weed Possession, Showing Exactly What Kind Of Leader He Really Is

Liz Gonzales11/07/2019 4:22 PM

Back in September, Packers LB Za’Darius Smith was pulled over for going 81 in a 60 on his way back from Chicago to Green Bay. When cops approached the vehicle, they smelled weed and Smith admitted to smoking marijuana before they got on the road. Cops then handcuffed him and his passengers, rookies Rashan Gary and Kingsley Keke, while they searched the vehicle.

Last night, TMZ Sports released the video of the traffic stop that explains exactly why Smith was voted team captain in his first season with Green Bay.

*The officer searches the vehicle, finds the LV bag and the blunts inside the bag, asks who the bag belongs to, Smith confirms it’s his, officer asks about its contents.*

“So is that weed yours then?”
“What weed was it?”
“There was 3 blunts we found in there.”
“3 blunts?”
“So here’s the deal: we just need to figure out whose it is because you’re just gonna get an ordinance ticket and then you guys will be on your way.”
“Ok. I’ll put it on me. I didn’t know that was in there.”
*Smith what it was… quickly realizes who it actually belongs to…*
“I put it on me.”

*The officer then asks who the vape cartridge belongs to.*

“It’s not a big deal. It’s all gonna get a citation anyway. One citation.”
“Yeah… that…”
“Take it on you? Is that yours?”
“Yeah, I put it on me.”

There are a hundred different things Za’Darius could have said in that situation, starting with throwing other people under the bus in order to clear his name. He could have denied knowing anything about it at all and refuse to take the blame for it. He could have questioned why they were putting him in handcuffs just to search his vehicle. He could have at any point lost his patience and exhibited any sort of frustration, not just at the cops, but at the idea that we’re really out here putting people in the back of patrol cars over a couple of blunts.

More importantly for Smith, that his job is likely to be compromised for at least a couple of games because the NFL would prefer that players poison their bodies with highly addictive pain killers over a little pot.

Instead he remained calm, respectful, and with two rookies in the car, he put everything on himself. He was the more experienced man, the leader, so he lead. The blunts, the vape cartridge, everything; it was all him.