Departures of note

Billy Ray Smith Jr. was born on August 10, 1961, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was the son of Billy Ray Smith Sr., who also played in the NFL. Smith grew up in Plano, Texas, where he attended Plano Senior High School and helped lead his team to a state championship in 1977.

At the University of Arkansas, Smith became a two-time unanimous All-American in 1981 and 1982 under coach Lou Holtz. He finished his college career with 229 total tackles and set the school record for tackles for loss. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and honored on the Arkansas All-Decade and All-Century Teams.

Smith was selected fifth overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers, the first defensive player taken that year. He played his entire 10-year professional career with the Chargers, earning team MVP honors in 1987 and defensive player of the year in 1985 and 1986. He recorded 15 career interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries, and 13 forced fumbles, and was voted to the Chargers 50th Anniversary Team in 2009.

After retiring from football, Smith worked as a sports broadcaster in San Diego, co-hosting radio and television programs including The Scott and B.R. Show and working for Fox Sports. He died on July 29, 2026, at age 64. His family stated he had faced a long journey with dementia caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).