The death of former NFL standout Chris Smith has devastated the football community. On April 17, 2023, the defensive end who had played in the league for eight seasons passed away. He had just turned 31 at the time.
Since being chosen in 2014, Smith has played for multiple teams and signed several lucrative contracts. This allowed him to amass an incredible fortune. Find out how much money the football player has made by reading on.
Chris Smith’s Net Worth
When Chris Smith passed away in April 2023, he was reportedly worth between $6 and $8 million. His prosperous NFL career accounted for the vast majority of his wealth. The Jacksonville Jaguars picked up the athlete in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Smith made almost $2.4 million during his time with the Jaguars.
The Cleveland Browns signed him to a three-year, $12 million contract in 2018, with $4.5 million guaranteed. Smith was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2020 after three years in the league. However, his contract was drastically reduced, and he now makes only $1.495 million a year.
The Las Vegas Raiders will pay the football player $910,000 when the 2020 season is over. When free agency opened the following year, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens for $252,000 to join their practice squad. He signed a $42,000 deal with the Houston Texans later that year. In 2022, he was officially a free agent.
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Chris Smith’s NFL Career
Smith recorded 80 tackles and 11 sacks in 72 games during his NFL career. Before, he played football with the Arkansas Razorbacks, earning All-SEC honors as a senior in 2013. In 2017 and 2018, he enjoyed his best seasons as a pro. He recorded three sacks for the Bengals last season.
He appeared in every game for the Browns in 2018, starting twice. Throughout the year, he racked up 21 tackles, one sack, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. Recently, in March 2023, Smith inked a contract with the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL, where he played in four games.
Chris Smith’s Contract History
In the 2005 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected the defensive end in the fifth round. Spotrac reports that he made a maximum of $2.4 million throughout his first contract from 2014–2017. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns after the 2017 season for a significant pay increase.
The second deal he signed could have paid him up to $12 million over three years, with $4.5 million guaranteed. In 2020, he signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers that produced as little as $1.495 million. But before the year ended, he had signed up with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Sad news: NFL player Chris Smith has passed at age 31, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Smith played for the 7 NFL teams, most notably the #Jaguars and #Browns pic.twitter.com/wbXgFmbd24
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 18, 2023
The deal was for $910,000 and would extend through the end of the season. But that wasn’t all; in 2021, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. The value of this one was $252,000.
Later in 2021, he signed a $42,000 contract with the Houston Texans. Both of the 2021 contracts were for the team’s practice squad. He was a restricted free agent until 2022.
In his career, Smith appeared in at least 72 games, and in 2017 (the year that will be forever associated with Nick Foles’ improbable playoff run) and 2018, he played in every game. Smith’s girlfriend also met a tragic end during the defensive end’s playing days, dying in a car crash on Interstate 90.
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Chris Smith’s Tragedy and Death
While playing for the Browns in 2019, Smith dealt with a personal tragedy. On September 11 that year, he had just dropped off Petara Cordero, his lover, when a car struck and killed her. Her death was instantaneous. One of Smith’s three kids was born to Cordero. Following the tragedy, the football player was unable to perform adequately and was released by the Browns.
The Browns shared the sad news that Smith passed away on April 17, 2023. He was 31 years old. “It’s a tragic loss for his family, friends, former teammates, and Rowan County. He had been the ultimate give-back guy and a generous donor to local schools and projects. He stayed close to his Rowan County roots no matter where his football odyssey took him,” read his obituary.
