OXNARD, Calif. — After an allergic reaction on Friday afternoon that prevented him from traveling to Las Vegas for the second preseason game against the Raiders, defensive tackle Mazi Smith was back at practice on Monday taking part in his normal workload in a walkthrough mock game.
While the team was loading the buses in Oxnard to travel to LAX Airport on Friday, Smith immediately felt an allergic reaction coming on – something he said he had felt before – and alerted the medical staff.
"I went to the medical staff right away and told them what was going on," Smith said. "I knew the feeling right away."
The last time he had experienced an allergic reaction was before the NFL Combine last year, he said, as he emphasized not panicking in order to keep his breathing stable.
"I've had a reaction," he said. "I've had it a lot before. I know the ropes when it comes to an allergic reaction. You can't panic, especially when it comes to your airways. Gotta make sure you're breathing and getting the right treatment."
Smith was transported to the hospital where he was treated and released shortly after. While it was tough staying back while the team came away with a win in Las Vegas on Saturday night, the recovery was necessary.
"Try not to think about it," he said. "That's something I get energetic about, seeing my boys out there doing what they do and not feeling like I'm part of the wave. That's pretty hard."
A few days of rest later, and he is prepared to take part in both padded practices this week before returning to Dallas.
"Business as usual," he said.
