GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers’ dressing room was almost silent Saturday afternoon, save for the murmur of a few low-volume conversations.
Most of Za’Darius Smith’s teammates had long since departed Lambeau Field following the team’s final full-fledged practice of the week in advance of Monday night’s game against the Detroit Lions. But there the Packers veteran outside linebacker and defensive team captain sat at his locker, an acquaintance’s iPhone pressed against his ear.
The previous Saturday, Smith had come across on social media a video clip of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, speaking on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL.” A Packers fan had tagged Smith’s Twitter handle (@TheRealZSmith), and he’d noticed.
“The Green Bay Packers have a real issue on defense,” Lewis was saying. “And that is, in that front seven, they don’t have that dictator no more.”
It’s hard to say exactly what Lewis — an NFL icon who made 13 Pro Bowls during his 17 NFL seasons, all with the Baltimore Ravens — meant by his ambiguous “dictator” word choice. But Smith, and others inside the Packers locker room, interpreted it as a shot at the team’s defensive leadership — and, in turn, a shot at Smith.
Now, Smith was listening to an audio clip, one recorded only a scant few minutes earlier, just several feet from Smith’s locker. On it was the voice of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’d been asked about Lewis’ remark and what he himself thought of Smith’s leadership ability.
Rodgers has been one of Smith’s biggest supporters since Smith arrived on a four-year, $66 million free agent deal. He has talked repeatedly about the “energy” and “vibe” and “leadership” that he believes Smith has been integral in creating. In fact, when asked about Smith on Saturday, Rodgers’ initial response was a smiling “Haven’t I said enough about him already?” before relenting. Then, Rodgers leaned against a nearby trash can and answered.
And now, Smith was listening to that reply.
“I think it’s dangerous for any person to use conjecture as fact,” Smith heard Rodgers say. “Especially someone who’s not in this locker room.
“Everybody in this locker room not only respects ‘Z’ as a player, but I think genuinely loves him as a person. Because he has contagious, infectious energy and a great charisma about him where, when he talks, everybody listens. But he does it in a way that’s coming from a positivity and love and a general passion for the game. You add all that up, and in my humble opinion, that’s what makes a great leader.”
Several times, Smith nodded. When the clip ended, he smiled.
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