Former NFL player Alphonso Smith Jr. dies at 40 after sharing emotional final message

Smith’s final Facebook post addressed personal pain, childhood trauma and his belief that he needed more support.

Former NFL cornerback Alphonso Smith Jr. has died at 40, with sources alleging that he died by suicide in Florida on Sept. 2. Hours before his death, Smith published a deeply personal Facebook post in which he apologized to people he believed he had hurt, referenced childhood abuse and wrote, “I needed help & did not get it.”

Smith’s death was reported by TMZ Sports, which cited sources with direct knowledge. He died at a housing community in Florida, according to the report. Before his death, Smith shared a lengthy message on Facebook describing an internal battle he said he had been struggling to overcome.

“Do not cry for me!” Smith wrote, before saying he had tried to fight the “demons” inside him. He apologized repeatedly and said he had disappointed and hurt people. “I needed help & did not get it,” he wrote.

Smith also referred to abuse he faced at the hands of an older woman when he was a young boy. He ended the post with an apology and the words, “THIS IS IT!”. The post has since drawn attention because of its proximity to his death.

Smith was born and raised in Pahokee, Florida, before attending Wake Forest University. Smith became one of the most accomplished defensive backs in Wake Forest history. He recorded 21 career interceptions, a program record, and earned All-American recognition during his senior season. Smith was later inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

The Denver Broncos selected Smith 37th overall in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He spent one season in Denver before being traded to the Detroit Lions in 2010. With Detroit, he recorded a career-high five interceptions during the 2010 season and remained with the organization through 2012.

Smith leaves behind a football legacy that began in Pahokee, continued through Wake Forest and reached the NFL. He will be remembered for a life that extended far beyond football.