Former NFL player Alphonso Smith Jr. was found dead on Wednesday (Sep. 2) from an apparent suicide.
Sources tell TMZ Sports that his body was discovered at a housing community in Florida, hours after he shared a heartbreaking Facebook post where he reflected on his life and those who would be impacted by his decision.
“Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME!” he wrote. “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 then apologized to his children, friends and family, calling himself “a piece of shit” and “A HUGE COWARD.”
During his apology to his family, Smith appeared to imply that he was abused as a child, and that he “did the same onto others.”
“To my family, BABY, my MOM, my siblings, things happened to your boy, your brother while I was little that an older lady did onto me,” he wrote. “As a result guys, I did the same onto others!”
Smith concluded his message by apologizing once more before signaling his intent to end his life.
“I am the WORST & I pray my soul rest in heaven for my heart is pure, but my BRAIN & experience is MESSED UP !!” he wrote. “Once again to ALLLLLL! I am SORRY! THIS IS IT!”
Smith was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, and played four seasons in the league. He was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. In the U.S. and Canada, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are elsewhere, contact your local emergency services or crisis hotline.
