Nolan Smith told trainers 'it's no way possible I'm coming out this game' after tearing triceps in Super Bowl

Nolan Smith's emergence during the playoffs was one of the biggest reasons why the Eagles captured their second-ever Super Bowl. Smith established himself as a reliable edge rusher, accumulating four sacks across the Eagles' first three playoff games. The one playoff game he didn't record a sack in was the Super Bowl, despite the Eagles' defensive line recording six total. 

Not only was Smith held without a sack, he didn't even have a single tackle. That can partially be attributed to the fact he tore his left triceps in the first half. Brandon Graham suffered the same injury during the Eagles' Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Graham was out for over two months, coming back for the Super Bowl. But Smith persevered and played the final two quarters hurt.

Smtih talked about the injury with Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship on The Exciting Mics podcast. 

"It was one of those moments, like, you're in the Super Bowl," Smith said." Let's say we go back a couple more times. Even if I still win this, my first one will haunt me forever.

"Also I (would've) felt like a quitter. I just worked all this time, y'all counting on me. My mom's looking for me. How can I just go out there and be like, 'Man, I'm just gonna let my guys know I did enough.'"

Smith said the injury happened with about 30 seconds left in the first half. He was trying to get around the edge against Kansas City Chiefs' right tackle Jawaan Taylor, but Taylor jumped on his back, forcing all the weight on Smith's arm. The edge rusher said he knew he hurt something immediately.

At that point, the Eagles led 24-0. With how much the Eagles were dominating, there wasn't much of a need for Smith to return to the field. 

But don't tell that to him.

"The whole time I was just trying to rub it down and then I told (the trainer), it's no way possible I'm coming out this game," Smith said. "Y'all can give me a brace and I can go out and play or we're going to have a legal battle back and forth."

During the second half, Smith played with a heavy brace on his left arm. DeJean and Blankenship both said that they had no clue about Smith's injury until they saw him with the extra protection on his arm. 

Per Smith, the brace prevented him from extending his arm too far, which kept him from recovering the fumble after Milton Williams strip sacked Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter. Williams eventually dove on it after Smith couldn't get it from under his feet. Smith said Jalen Carter told him on the sideline he thought he was going to pick it up for a scoop-and-score. 

"Do you not think I was trying to do that?" Smith said with a smile.

Smith playing hurt was emblematic of his season. A year removed from the Eagles taking Smith in the first round, some saw him as a potential bust. He recorded 1.5 sacks as a rookie and played less than 20% of the defensive snaps. 

Even during the preseason, it looked like Smith was on the wrong trajectory. He was active for the Eagles' third preseason game, where virtually no important players played. 

But by the end of the regular season, Smith was clearly the Eagles' best rusher, finishing with a sack in seven of the their last 12 games. That continued in the postseason. 

With Smith set to return by the start of the 2025 season, larger expectations will fall on him. He's shown, though, that he can handle expectations being placed on him. The 24-year-old has also proven that he's insanely tough.