Former Broncos cornerback Alphonso Smith dies at 40

Ex-Broncos cornerback Alphonso Smith has died, according to a report from TMZ.

A second-round pick of the team in 2009, Smith committed suicide in Florida, according to the TMZ report, which also noted that the veteran of four NFL season made a haunting post on Facebook before his death.

“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, who played one season with the Broncos before being traded to the Detroit Lions, was 40 years old. He matriculated at Wake Forest, where he set an Atlantic Coast Conference record for interceptions (21) and became a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame, to which he was inducted in 2021.

SMITH WAS PART OF THE BRONCOS’ THREE-PLAYER ROUND 2 CLASS

The No. 37 overall pick in 2009, Smith played 15 games for the Broncos that season, breaking up three passes while also handling some punt- and kickoff-return duties.

Part of what made the second-round selection of Smith so notable was that the team traded its 2010 first-round pick to Seattle in order to acquire the selection; the Seahawks would choose safety Earl Thomas with the pick acquired in the deal.

But in 2010, he struggled to gain traction in the Broncos secondary, leading to his trade on Sept. 4 of that year to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Dan Gronkowski. With the Lions, he found a role, playing in 22 total games in the following two seasons, including 11 starts. The Lions waived him at the 2012 roster deadline, but brought Smith back at midseason.

“It was challenging and had its ups and downs,” Smith told Wake Forest’s official website in 2021 when reflecting on his NFL career. “But it was a lifelong dream. I made my plays there too.”

Tragically, Smith is the second member of the Broncos’ 2009 class to die via suicide. Wide receiver Kenny McKinley committed suicide on Sept. 21, 2010 after dealing with debts and a gambling problem.

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