What was the cause of Chris Smith’s ‘untimely’ death?

BY: DONNA KAREN ROBINSON

In an unfortunate incident, former NFL defensive end Chris Smith died on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

[{"selector":"#anim-3b519cb1-d85e-4f10-8901-8b5f18a17224","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.42007%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3d36ff9-b281-4356-aafc-4c08a93d664a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e53212c0-a452-4331-ae0f-38ad8de986b3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Smith’s agent Drew Rosenhaus announced the passing away of the former star in a tweet.

[{"selector":"#anim-7e796ed6-19f7-4745-9753-d2e5eee12327","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6fbab0f2-ca4f-4c7e-a7a6-c69f107456fe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1aed5f2e-58e0-40a4-9036-131ed78e303e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Chris Smith was selected in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2014 NFL draft.

[{"selector":"#anim-3e56894c-0b66-4304-8d86-0e8a4e86f692","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-142a89b3-8dd6-41a8-8122-07506260400f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02e3a8a8-f158-46da-a36a-480e646171e0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

He played for them until 2017, when he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a 2018 conditional draft pick.

[{"selector":"#anim-3106d72f-1eb3-49e6-a77b-f474a8c3855b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-644d5a16-725b-4ed0-87a9-5067f9947050","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f776e91-00e7-4764-a78f-582b45625fad","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

In his eight-year career in the NFL, Chris Smith recorded 80 tackles and 11 sacks.

[{"selector":"#anim-cc5035c1-45d8-4fdc-b72c-6790092ff58f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-469e4ae6-deba-4f78-aa3b-1885cf1222ce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7df79d9c-6c0a-420b-8354-84eda98286f5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Smith then became a journeyman, playing for the Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, and Texans.

[{"selector":"#anim-12169dc0-6828-4747-a002-8d9465a03d56","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-396c67fc-4d94-4a0c-b972-b77d5641a5bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f70f5a2-65ae-49a4-91df-23189516bed3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

On March 9, 2023, he ultimately signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons after not getting any other opportunities in the NFL.

[{"selector":"#anim-dcc3238e-88c5-42e1-9f34-b3df79ff0ccb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad45ec93-e708-4864-8050-b9568e8c7b7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a045a84-f963-47f3-b798-b3bb628d057b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The exact reason for Chris Smith’s death is still not revealed by the authorities or his family members.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca454e00-dd0c-416c-bae3-39f32a9035aa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e89bc738-be88-4553-97cd-a998611899a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56b2bcff-7072-4263-8e36-0431ab06131a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

CLICK HERE

[{"selector":"#anim-8ad95250-e626-4ff3-9702-8054f72f7fa7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-959221f4-fcd6-4083-bcdd-10298e85e7b6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 283.89315%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]