Former NFL Player, Chris Smith, has unfortunately passed away at the age of 31.
His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed his passing on Tuesday.
His cause of death was not immediately known.
The Florida native, a former defensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns, spent 8 years in the NFL. He played for multiple teams including the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
While Smith was playing with the Browns in 2019, his girlfriend, Petara Cordero, was killed when she was hit by a car after she exited the vehicle he was driving, according to AP News. Smith had pulled over due to his car having a tire malfunction and hitting the median. The two had a daughter together just weeks before her tragic death.
After her death, Smith shared a touching tribute on Instagram, writing: “God has a plan for all of us we can’t understand but she is in a better place now and she can rest easy. My wifey my best friend and the mother of my beautiful daughter. Love you baby.”
Tributes poured in on social media in remembrance of Smith:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Browns DE Chris Smith.
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 18, 2023
Chris was one of the kindest people, teammates and friends we've had in our organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/K8HySW4erM
Former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield also expressed his sympathy for Smith.
“To know him was to love him,” Mayfield posted on Twitter along with a photo of Smith leading a huddle of Browns. “Heaven got a good one. We’ll never forget you and we’ll always miss you. RIP Chris.”
Tony Khan, son of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, described Smith as a “great teammate and friend”.
“He suffered a tragic loss,” he wrote on Twitter. “I hope they are reunited in Heaven.”
Let us please keep Chris’ loved ones in our prayers. We will keep you all updated as more information is released.
