Eagles' Nolan Smith arrested after allegedly driving 135 mph in Georgia

Smith was arrested in Georgia on reckless driving and speeding charges, raising questions about possible NFL discipline

Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith was arrested last week in Georgia. He is accused of speeding and reckless driving. Smith was allegedly driving 135 miles per hour in a 70 mph zone at 10:41 p.m. Friday night, according to ESPN.

Smith posted bond and was released on the night of his arrest. A court date is set for July 14, 2026. The sheriff's office stated that Smith would not need to appear in court if he pays the fines associated with the arrest citations, according to ESPN.

The 2023 first-round pick is coming off a three-sack season. He now has 10.5 sacks, 25 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss across his three seasons in Philadelphia, and should once again be expected to play a significant role in the Eagles' defense whenever he is available this season. 

The question is whether he'll be available for how many games, because the league will likely investigate the reckless driving incident under the personal conduct policy.

Will Smith face punishment from the NFL?

The league has typically been pretty lenient with players when it comes to punishment for speeding and even reckless driving, unless there are other circumstances associated with the incident. Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett has been cited for speeding at least seven times since entering the NFL in 2017, for example, and has not faced league discipline for those actions. 

However, players like Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice received punishment for speeding or racing violations when the incident resulted in injuries to passengers or people in other vehicles. 

Given the league's history, it seems somewhat unlikely that Smith will face a suspension for his actions. The league could and arguably should change its stance on these types of incidents given their prevalence, but it has thus far not shown a desire or willingness to aggressively punish players for driving-related incidents that don't result in injury or other charges.