Former NFL player Chris Smith passed away Monday at the age of 31

Former NFL player Chris Smith passed away Monday at the age of 31, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The cause of death has not been disclosed yet.

Smith played eight seasons in the NFL after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the fifth round of the 2014 Draft out of Arkansas. He played three years in Jacksonville before the Jaguars traded him to the Bengals in 2017.

Smith spent the 2022 season out of the NFL and was most recently signed by the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons.

The Browns also released a statement following Smith's passing. 

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Browns DE Chris Smith," the team said in a statement. "Chris was one of the kindest people, teammates and friends we've had in our organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."

Smith's death follows the tragic death of his girlfriend, Petara Cordero, in September 2019. While Smith was playing for the Browns, Cordero was hit by a car after Smith had pulled over on the side of the road to deal with a tire malfunction. At the time of Cordero's death, the couple had just welcomed a baby into the world four weeks earlier.