Former NFL defensive end Chris Smith has passed away at the young age of 31 (NBC News). Smith died on Monday, September 23, 2019, but the cause of his death has not been made public (The Washington Post). Smith played for five different teams across eight years in the NFL (The Washington Post). He was a former West Rowan High School defensive football standout (WCNC) and his alma mater announced his passing on their Twitter account (USA Today).
Smith was described as a “give-back guy” by his high school football team (People). He played for the Cleveland Browns in 2018 and during the season, he was involved in a tragedy that touched his life (ABC News). His girlfriend, Petara Cordero, gave birth to their daughter prematurely and tragically passed away in a car accident just weeks later (Sports Illustrated).
The NFL community is mourning the loss of Smith and paying their respects on social media (Sports Illustrated). In addition to playing for the Browns, Smith also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, and Carolina Panthers during his NFL career (USA Today).
Smith’s death has come as a shock to many and his family, friends, and fans are left mourning the loss of a talented athlete and “give-back guy” (The Washington Post).
