Cheis Smith Cause of Death: Former NFL Star Dies at 31

^{Cheis Smith was a former NFL defensive end who played for several teams, including the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns. He also played for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons in 2023. He died on April 17, 2023, at the age of 31. His cause of death is still unknown, as of this writing.}

^{A West Rowan Legend}

^{Smith was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, and attended West Rowan High School, where he was a star football player. He helped his team win three state championships and was named the North Carolina Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. He also excelled in basketball and track and field. He was remembered by his high school as a “better person than he was a player” and a “generous donor to local schools and projects” (according to the Salisbury Post).}

^{A Successful NFL Career}

^{Smith played college football at Arkansas, where he was a four-year starter and a team captain. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played for the Jaguars for three seasons, before joining the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2018, and played for them until 2020. He also had brief stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Carolina Panthers. He played a total of 60 games in the NFL, recording 67 tackles and 8.5 sacks.}

^{A Tragic Loss of His Girlfriend}

^{In 2019, Smith suffered a personal tragedy when his girlfriend, Petara Cordero, was killed in a car accident. Cordero was the mother of his third daughter, Haven Harris Smith, who was born in August 2019. The couple was standing on a Cleveland highway after Smith’s Lamborghini had a tire malfunction, when Cordero was struck by a passing car. Smith said that she “didn’t feel any pain” and that it was “like she died in her sleep” (according to Sports Illustrated).}

^{A New Start in the XFL}

^{In 2023, Smith joined the XFL, a new professional football league that aimed to compete with the NFL. He played for the Seattle Sea Dragons, and appeared in their last game on April 10, 2023, against the St. Louis Battlehawks. He helped his team win 30-12, with two tackles and a sack. He died a week later, leaving behind his three children and his family. His former teammates and coaches expressed their condolences and praised his character and talent. His fans also mourned his loss and celebrated his legacy.}