Alphonso Smith, a standout cornerback at Wake Forest who later spent four seasons in the NFL, died by suicide Wednesday at the age of 40, TMZ reported.
The former Bronco and Lion wrote a troubling social media post hours before his death, in which he called himself a “coward” and referenced abuse he suffered as a child.
Smith, a Pahokee, Fla., native, was a standout at his local high school before embarking on an accolade-filled career at Wake Forest that saw him get two All-ACC First Team nods and an All-American Second Team pick before it all culminated in a consensus All-American season in 2008.
In 2007 and 2008, he led Division I college football with eight and seven interceptions, respectively. In ’07, he also ran back three interceptions for touchdowns, which also led DI.
His 21 career interceptions still rank as the most in program history.
Smith, following his illustrious career with Wake Forest, was taken in the second round (37th overall) of the 2009 draft by the Broncos, spending one season in Denver.
At the outset of the 2010 season, Smith was traded to the Lions and recorded a career-high five interceptions. He added three more the next season, but played just four contests in 2012 before being waived that November.
He was not picked up by another NFL squad.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
