Former Chargers Star Billy Ray Smith Jr. Dies At 64. His Family Blames Cte

Billy Ray Smith Jr. became embedded successful nan San Diego sports organization arsenic an exceptional linebacker who lived up to his billing arsenic a first-round draught prime and played each of his 126 NFL games pinch nan Chargers from 1983 to 1992, agelong earlier nan franchise moved to Los Angeles.

Despite being Texas-raised and Arkansas-educated, Smith Jr. became synonymous pinch San Diego by spending nan remainder of his life successful nan sunny SoCal metropolis arsenic a sportscaster, power big and big-hearted, larger-than-life personality.

Smith Jr. died Wednesday astatine property 64, his family saying successful a connection that he “faced his agelong travel pinch dementia caused by CTE pinch unmatched bravery, dignity, and strength.”

“It is pinch profound sadness that we stock nan nonaccomplishment of our beloved Billy Ray Smith Jr., who passed distant peacefully surrounded by family,” nan connection said. “Billy Ray brought truthful overmuch joy, light, and laughter to nan world arsenic a devoted father, husband, son, and loyal friend.”

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is simply a progressive encephalon illness characterized by temper disturbances and cognitive decline. It is linked to repeated caput impacts and traumatic encephalon injuries, and has been recovered posthumously successful galore athletes successful interaction sports.

According to nan Mayo Clinic, CTE cannot beryllium diagnosed definitively during life. However, objective criteria has been developed for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), symptoms that hap together and are associated pinch CTE.

A test of CTE requires grounds of degeneration of encephalon insubstantial that tin only beryllium seen during an autopsy. Through 2022, nan Boston University CTE Center studied nan brains of 376 erstwhile NFL players and diagnosed 345 pinch CTE, a complaint of 91.7%.

The database of erstwhile NFL players diagnosed pinch CTE includes different legendary Chargers linebacker, Junior Seau, who died successful 2012 of a self-inflicted gunshot coiled astatine 43. Smith played alongside Seau from 1990-1992.

Their relationship endured aft Smith Jr. retired and moved into broadcasting. He was a speaker astatine Seau’s public memorial service.

Smith Jr. was calved Aug. 10, 1961, successful Fayetteville, Ark., nan boy of longtime NFL protect lineman Billy Ray Smith, and grew up successful Plano, Texas. The twelvemonth he was born, his begetter registered a career-high 13.5 sacks for nan Baltimore Colts.

Smith Jr. followed his father’s footsteps to nan University of Arkansas, and was doubly named a unanimous All-American and voted into nan College Football Hall of Fame. The Chargers drafted Smith Jr. pinch nan 5th wide prime successful 1983.

He moved from protect extremity to linebacker successful San Diego and by 1987 was named nan team’s astir valuable player. Smith Jr. vanished his profession pinch 26.5 sacks, 15 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries.

The Times’ Bill Plaschke wrote astir Smith Jr.’s effect connected a Chargers’ historical turnaround from 1-8 to 8-1 during nan 1987 season: “The biggest on-field logic for this has been nan defense. And this defense belongs to Billy Ray Smith. He strokes it, slugs it, runs it. He grabs it by nan beforehand of its garment to support it moving. He clutches it nether nan arms to support it from falling.

“A mates of times a game, erstwhile nan welts commencement to show, erstwhile psyches person been beaten to nan edge, erstwhile cipher wants thing to do pinch this Charger defense, Billy Ray Smith signs for it.”

Upon retiring successful 1992, Smith Jr. moved down a microphone, teaming pinch Scott Kaplan connected a celebrated power show connected nan Mighty 1090, a position that went disconnected nan aerial successful 2019.

“He loved being portion of San Diego,” Kaplan told nan San Diego Union-Tribune. “Yeah, he was nan 5th wide prime and he played 10 years and, yeah, was nan look of nan defense earlier he handed it disconnected to Junior Seau. But he was nan feline who ne'er near San Diego.

“He was loved because group knew Billy Ray. It wasn’t for illustration different prima athletes; they knew him because they had seen his full life, from nan clip he was successful his early 20s, play retired connected section television. And he ne'er left.”

Smith Jr. worked connected TV arsenic a sportscaster and sports head for KGTV while besides making appearances connected Fox Sports and section Chargers broadcasts.

He met his wife, broadcaster Kimberly Hunt, during a United Cerebral Palsy telethon while still a Chargers player. They joined successful 1990, had a daughter, Savannah, 2 years later and celebrated their 36th day successful June. Hunt, an Emmy Award winner, is presently successful her 18th twelvemonth arsenic nan KGTV news evening anchor.

The mates was progressive successful charities for decades and this twelvemonth was fixed nan San Diego Nice Guy of nan Year Award.

“Through decades of unpaid work and charitable leadership, Billy Ray has generously supported younker programs, veterans, healthcare initiatives, and galore nonprofit organizations, helping fortify nan cloth of nan San Diego community,” nan San Diego Nice Guys said earlier this year.

“Together, Kimberly Hunt and Billy Ray Smith correspond nan very champion of San Diego —individuals whose master excellence is matched only by their kindness, humility, and dedication to improving nan lives of others.”

Smith Jr. came to San Diego arsenic a fearsome linebacker who made 2 Pro Bowls, yet he transcended shot done his infectious characteristic and devotion to his adopted city.

“He had that large smile, that immense laugh, that rip-your-arm-off handshake,” Kaplan said. “B.R. did everything right. There was not 1 portion of him that was a lie, a secret, not 1 skeleton successful nan closet. He really, really lived a life that he could beryllium very proud of.”