Chris Smith dead at 31: Tributes pour in for eight-season NFL defensive end
Former NFL player Chris Smith dies at 31: Tributes pour in for defensive end to eight seasons who last played for Texans in 2021 and NET signed with Seattle in the XFL
- Chris Smith spent time with seven different teams over an eight-year NFL career
- A few weeks before his death at the age of 31, he signed an XFL contract with Seattle
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Former NFL defenseman Chris Smith has passed away at the age of 31, just hours after playing for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL.
The 2014 NFL Draft pick spent time with seven different teams over eight seasons in the league, ending his pro career with the Houston Texans in 2021.
He played in Seattle’s XFL win over the St. Louis Battlehawks on Sunday, and so far no cause of death has been released.
In 2019, Smith’s girlfriend Petara Cordero was killed on a Cleveland highway after his Lamborghini had a tire failure and hit the median.
Cordero got out of the car and was standing on the side of the road when another vehicle crashed into the side of their car, with a 47-year-old woman later admitting she had been drinking.
Chris Smith, pictured playing for the Baltimore Ravens in 2019, has passed away at age 31
Smith, pictured right with Myles Garrett, also played for the Cleveland Browns for two years
Smith celebrates with coach Larry Jackson after a victory over the Jets while with the Browns
Smith’s girlfriend Petara Cordero was killed in a car accident in 2019, just weeks after giving birth to their first daughter
A month before her death, 26-year-old Cordero had given birth to their first child.
In a tweet revealing Smith’s passing on Monday, West Rowan High School’s football account said, “Rest in peace to a West Rowan legend! Chris was a better person than player! The impact he had on those around him will be remembered forever!’
The sad news was later confirmed by the Salisbury Post, who called him “the ultimate give-back man” who was a “generous donor to local schools and projects.”
First drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014, Smith went on to sign for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans, before leaving the league in 2021.
Attempting a football comeback, he signed for Seattle in the XFL in March, and made five appearances for the team before his death.
While playing for Cleveland, Smith’s girlfriend Petara died in a tragic car accident
Smith is pictured leaving the field after a game with the Raiders in December 2020