A common food allergy sent Cowboys NT Mazi Smith to hospital, caused him to miss game
Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Mazi Smith returned to practice Monday after missing Saturday’s 27-12 preseason victory against the Las Vegas Raiders following an allergic reaction on Friday.
Smith was on the team bus Friday as it preparing to leave training from camp on Oxnard to board a flight in Los Angeles for the trip to Las Vegas. He never made it to the airport as he was rushed off the bus.
According to a source, Smith is allergic to peanuts. He drank a smoothie that he didn’t know had a peanut product in it.
Smith wouldn’t confirm it was a peanut allergy that caused the reaction.
“It some type of milk, some type of something that was in some type of milk,” Smith said. “It wasn’t regular milk.”
Smith four hours in the hospital Friday before returning to the team’s training camp hotel in Oxnard.
Smith detailed his experience after Monday when he said he was good to go and things are back to business as usual for this week in practice.
“Just had a food allergy,” Smith said. “Ate something real quick, thinking I was gonna be straight as I about to get on the plane, about to get the lunch that we was gonna have. And I started having a reaction about it right away. Kind of went to the medical staff right away. Told them what was going on. Told him, I know the feeling.”
Smith knows the feeling because he’s had reactions before.
“A big guy, I eat a lot of food and stuff,” Smith said. “I’ve been through it. I know the ropes when it comes to alleged reactions. Can’t panic. You want to make sure you breathe and stuff and get the right treatment.
“You just gotta go to the hospital, get checked out. People get eyes on you and then they release you and you will be good.”
Smith said the last time he had a reaction was when he was working out before the 2023 NFL Combine while training at the Exos sports performance complex in Phoenix.
“I told them not to put it in there and they still put it in there,” Smith said. “But it happens.”
Smith said he is mindful of what he eats and it was a big surprise when drank the smoothie on Friday. But he said there are no residual effects and he is ready to go.
It was tough not playing against the Raiders. But he had to take care himself so he could be ready for the season.
“I try not to think about it,” Smith said. “That’s something I can get kind of energetic about, seeing my boys out there and not being there and not feeling like I’m part of the wave. It is pretty hard. Just make sure I do my part back home. And when it’s time for me to slot in, do what I’m supposed to do.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Smith is much better but recalled some tense moments on Friday.
“Frankly, everybody was on the bus. And I was passing him as he was coming off the bus and I was getting on,” McCarthy said after the game. “But those things are always serious when you have an allergic reaction like that.”
Smith was feeling much better on Saturday, but did not make the trip to Las Vegas.
That he was able to return to practice is good news for the Cowboys and Smith, putting to end what could have been a scary situation.
Peanut allergy is one of the nine most common food allergies, affecting approximately 1-2% of the U.S. population. Peanut allergy typically starts in childhood and persists throughout life. Approximately 20% of individuals may outgrow peanut allergy over time.
According to the Mayo Clinic, peanut allergy is one of the most common causes of severe allergy attacks. For some people with peanut allergy, even tiny amounts of peanuts can cause a serious reaction that can even be life-threatening (anaphylaxis).
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 2:25 PM.
