Former Chargers star Billy Ray Smith Jr. dies at 64. His family blames CTE

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

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

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

“It is with profound sadness that we stock the nonaccomplishment of our beloved Billy Ray Smith Jr., who passed distant peacefully surrounded by family,” the connection said. “Billy Ray brought truthful overmuch joy, light, and laughter to the satellite 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 the Mayo Clinic, CTE cannot beryllium diagnosed definitively during life. However, objective criteria has been developed for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), symptoms that hap unneurotic and are associated with CTE.

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

The database of erstwhile NFL players diagnosed with 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 talker astatine Seau’s nationalist memorial service.

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

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

He moved from antiaircraft extremity to linebacker successful San Diego and by 1987 was named the team’s astir invaluable player. Smith Jr. finished his vocation with 26.5 sacks, 15 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries.

He soon moved down a microphone, teaming with Scott Kaplan connected a fashionable vigor amusement connected the Mighty 1090, a presumption that went disconnected the aerial successful 2019.

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

“He was loved due to the fact that radical knew Billy Ray. It wasn’t similar different prima athletes; they knew him due to the fact that they had seen his full life, from the clip helium was successful his aboriginal 20s, play retired connected section television. And helium ne'er left.”

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

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

The mates was progressive successful charities for decades and this twelvemonth was fixed the San Diego Nice Guy of the 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 the cloth of the San Diego community,” the San Diego Nice Guys said earlier this year.

“Together, Kimberly Hunt and Billy Ray Smith correspond the precise champion of San Diego —individuals whose nonrecreational excellence is matched lone by their kindness, humility, and dedication to improving the lives of others.”

Smith Jr. came to San Diego arsenic a fearsome linebacker who made 2 Pro Bowls, yet helium transcended shot done his infectious property 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 the closet. He really, truly lived a beingness that helium could beryllium precise arrogant of.”