Chris Smith, a defensive end who spent eight seasons in the NFL, has died, according to his West Rowan High School in North Carolina.
He was 31.
No cause of death was announced, The New York Post reported.
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Week 17
Emmy award-winning reporter David Whisenant commented: “Very sad news. Former NFL, @WestRowanFB star Chris Smith has died at age 31.” Charlotte Observer’s Carolina Panthers reporter Mike Kaye wrote: “Chris Smith had a smile that could light up any room he was in. This is heartbreaking. Thinking of his family, especially his children.” He played in four games with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons, making five tackles earlier this year. In 2019, Petara Cordero, Smith’s girlfriend and the mother of one of his three children, was killed when she was struck by a passing car after exiting his vehicle. This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.
