Alphonso Smith Jr., a former Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions cornerback who set an ACC record for career interceptions at Wake Forest, died on Wednesday, September 2. He was 40.
Smith was found dead in Florida, and sources with direct knowledge told TMZ Sports that he died by suicide. His death came just hours after he published a lengthy Facebook message that opened with an apology to his family and described a lifelong struggle rooted in childhood sexual abuse.
The post itself was raw and unguarded.
“Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME!” Smith wrote.
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“To my kids, daddy is SO SORRY! To my friends, I love you all, but your boy was f-ked up!”
He said he had needed help and had not received it, and closed with “I am SORRY! THIS IS IT!”
Wake Forest record-setter, second-round draft pick
Smith arrived at Wake Forest in 2004 and left as one of the most decorated defensive backs in the program’s history. His 21 career interceptions still stand as the Atlantic Coast Conference career record, and he led NCAA Division I FBS players in interceptions in both 2007 and 2008. He earned consensus All-American honors as a senior and was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
The Broncos selected him 37th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, moving up from the second round after trading a 2010 first-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks to get him. His rookie season in Denver was largely quiet, and the team traded him to the Lions on September 4, 2010, in a deal that sent tight end Dan Gronkowski to Denver along with a draft-pick swap.
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Detroit was where he broke through. In 2010, Smith led the Lions with five interceptions and returned one 42 yards for a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams. He remained with the Lions through the 2012 season, finishing his NFL career with 42 games, eight interceptions, 19 pass breakups and 88 tackles across four seasons.
Life after football
After stepping away from the league, Smith returned to his hometown of Pahokee, Florida, where he had played high school football before Wake Forest. He took over as head football coach and dean of students at Pahokee High School in 2015, guiding the team to an 8-2 regular-season record and a district title in his first year on the sideline.
If you or someone you know needs help
In the United States, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. International directories of free helplines are available at findahelpline.com.
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