Former NFL cornerback Alphonso Smith Jr. has died at 40. According to a report from TMZ, Smith died in Florida on Wednesday. Further information surrounding his death has not been made public.
Former NFL star’s final post
Hours before his death, the former Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions player shared a concerning message on social media that appeared to reflect his emotional struggles.
In the post, Smith described battling what he called “demons,” referred to abuse he said he experienced as a child and called himself a “coward.”
Alphonso Smith Jr. cause of death
In the backdrop of the post, claims surfaced that Smith may have taken his own life. But an official cause of death has not been revealed.
Smith apologized in troubling final post
Smith’s final Facebook post also included apologies to people he believed he had hurt and suggested that he had been seeking help. He ultimately ended the message with, “I am SORRY! THIS IS IT!”
“Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME,” he wrote on Facebook.
{{/usCountry}}“Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME,” he wrote on Facebook.
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“I did not want to be that WAY! I know I have disappointed so many folks. This is a DEMON in me! But not only me! It’s EVERYONE! I have HURT so many! I needed help & did not get it," his last Facebook post mentioned.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S.
Alphonso Smith’s NFL career
Alphonso Smith Jr. made a name for himself at Wake Forest, where he became one of the program’s standout defensive players.
He finished his college career with 21 interceptions, an Atlantic Coast Conference record, and was later inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Smith entered the NFL after being selected 37th overall by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season in Denver, appearing in 15 games before being traded to the Detroit Lions in September 2010 in exchange for Dan Gronkowski.
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The cornerback went on to play three seasons in Detroit. Although the Lions waived him during their 2012 roster cuts, they brought him back later that season.
Across four NFL seasons from 2009 through 2012, Smith appeared in 42 games and totaled 88 tackles and eight interceptions. His five interceptions in 2010 were a team-best for Detroit.