Billy Ray Smith Jr., the longtime San Diego Chargers linebacker and later a familiar face in sports broadcasting, has died at 64. His family said he had been battling dementia they believe was caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
The family did not publicly disclose Smith’s exact cause of death. In a statement this week, they said, "It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of our beloved Billy Ray Smith Jr., who passed away peacefully surrounded by family," the family said in a statement this week. "Billy Ray faced his long journey with dementia caused by CTE with unmatched bravery, dignity, and strength.
"Billy Ray brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the world as a devoted father, husband, son, and loyal friend. On the NFL gridiron for a decade with the Chargers, and decades that followed in sports broadcasting, Billy Ray earned deep respect from teammates, colleagues, and fans, who he cherished in return.
"He leaves an irreplaceable void in our lives. His undeniable legacy will live forever in our hearts, and we thank our incredible community for the outpouring of love and support."
It was not clear from the family’s statement whether Smith had received an official CTE diagnosis. The disease can only be confirmed after death.
Smith spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers, taking plenty of hits along the way in a sport where repeated head trauma is widely believed to be the root of CTE. The Boston University CTE Center says the risk of the disease doubles for every 2.6 years in the game.
On the field, the Arkansas product put together a strong career: 26.5 sacks, 15 interceptions and 13 forced fumbles across 126 games. He was later selected to the Chargers’ 50th Anniversary Team.
Smith was the son and namesake of another Arkansas linebacker, though unlike his father, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Colts in January of 1971, Billy Ray Smith Jr. never captured a title.
After football, he became a popular sportscaster at San Diego’s KGTV, where his wife, Kimberly, worked as an anchor.
Smith’s death also comes against a painful backdrop for the Chargers franchise. Another former Chargers linebacker, Hall of Famer Junior Seau, was found to have CTE after his 2012 suicide.
The family of former NFL offensive lineman Jordan Devey recently said they believed he, too, suffered from CTE before his recent suicide. According to his father, Kerry, Devey’s brain cannot be studied by experts because of the circumstances of his death.
In Other News...
Texans Suddenly Have A Bigger Linebacker Problem Than Expected
The Texans linebacker room has gone from a spot the team hoped to sort out in camp to one with real urgency. Jason Hansen went down with a foot injury during team drills, and the loss lands especially hard because Houston was already working around a thin group at the position. Hansen had been in the mix to compete for the No. 3 role behind starters Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry TooToo, so this was one of the quieter battles worth watching this summer.
E.J. Speeds quadriceps injury has made the situation even tougher, with the possibility he could be out for the season. For a defense that needs dependable depth behind its top two linebackers, the timing is far from ideal, and it leaves Houston with more questions than answers as camp continues. The Texans were trying to build stability at linebacker, but the injury pileup has turned that into one of the teams most unsettled spots. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Practice Fight Showed The Edge DeMeco Ryans Wants
Training camp is supposed to sharpen a team, and on one recent Texans practice field, the edge showed up in a way that was hard to miss. A brief scuffle broke out involving multiple players, including rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, before teammates stepped in and cooled it off. No injuries were reported, but the moment was caught on video and quickly made the rounds, giving fans a glimpse of just how competitive these workouts have become under DeMeco Ryans.
For Houston, that kind of controlled friction is part of the point. Ryans has built a reputation around physical, high-energy practices, and a sideline dust-up like this can be read less as a problem than as a sign the message is getting through. The challenge, as always, is keeping that intensity pointed in the right direction once the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Texans May Have A Real Rookie TE Role Taking Shape
Marlin Klein arrived in Houston with the kind of profile that asks for patience, even after the Texans spent a second-round pick on him. His college production was limited, and a hamstring issue kept him out of the offseason program, but training camp has started to show why the team was intrigued by the tight end in the first place.
DeMeco Ryans has pointed to Kleins physical traits and the upside they bring to Houstons passing game, which is why this feels like more than a developmental project. The Texans do not need him to be finished product right away, but the early signs suggest a real role could be forming as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]