Former NFL player Alphonso Smith Jr. has reportedly died by suicide at the age of 40. The former Detroit Lions cornerback was found deceased at a housing community in Florida on Wednesday, according to reports from TMZ.
Earlier on Wednesday, a post appeared on Smith Jr.'s Facebook account that spoke of fighting 'demons' and concluded with the phrase 'THIS IS IT!' The post read, in part, "Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME! I did not want to be that WAY! I know I have disappointed so many folks. This is a DEMON in me! But not only me! It’s EVERYONE! I have HURT so many! I needed help & did not get it!"
Smith Jr. also referred to himself as a 'coward' in the post and offered an apology, stating, "I am SORRY! THIS IS IT!"
Smith Jr. played college football at Wake Forest from 2004 to 2008. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2009 and traded to the Detroit Lions a year later. He played three seasons with the Lions before concluding his NFL career after the 2012 season. During his time in the league, Smith Jr. appeared in 42 games, recording 88 tackles and eight interceptions.