Another Tragedy: Texans Ex DE Chris Smith, XFL Player, Dead at 31

The late Chris Smith, who entered the league via the 2014 NFL Draft, spent time with seven different teams across eight seasons in the league, ending his pro career with the Texans in 2021.

Defensive end Chris Smith, who ended his eight-year NFL career as a member of the Houston Texans, has died at the age of 31.

As of this writing, no cause of death has been announced regarding Smith, who just hours before his passing played in a game for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL.

Smith, who entered the league via the 2014 NFL Draft, spent time with seven different teams across eight seasons in the league, ending his pro career with the Texans in 2021.

His personal life was recently marked by tragedy as he dealt with the death of his partner, the mother of his daughter. Petara Cordero was 26 when she passed away in a 2019 highway accident in Cleveland after his Lamborghini had a tire malfunction. When Cordero exited the vehicle and was standing at the side of the road, another vehicle smashed into the side of the Lamborghini - with the 47-year-old woman behind the wheel of the second car later admitting to having been drinking.

Smith and Cordero's daughter, Haven Harris, was born just four weeks before the tragic accident.

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