The tragic end of a premier NFL defensive force
In short: Will Smith was a powerhouse of the New Orleans Saints' defense, a first-round draft pick who became one of the league's elite pass rushers. Yet, his career—marked by high-profile contracts and complex controversies—ended in a violent New Orleans street altercation that sparked a years-long legal odyssey.
Born in Queens and raised in Utica, New York, Will Smith was a standout athlete at Proctor High School, where he recorded 20 sacks as a senior. He transitioned to Ohio State University, becoming a four-year letterman from 2000 to 2003. During that period, he guided the Buckeyes toward the 2002 BCS National Championship while achieving first-team All-American status in 2003. He graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in criminology.
Selected 18th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft, Smith spent his entire professional career with the New Orleans Saints. He quickly established himself as a premier defensive end, recording 33.5 sacks in his first four seasons. A $70 million, six-year deal signed in 2008 positioned him as the NFL's third most expensive defensive end. His tenure was not without scrutiny; he faced a suspension in 2008 for using a diuretic found in a weight-loss supplement and was briefly suspended in 2012 over the Saints' 'bounty scandal' before the ruling was overturned.
Smith's career was cut short by a torn ACL in 2013, leading to his release in 2014. His life ended tragically on April 9, 2016, following a traffic collision in New Orleans. A postmortem toxicology report revealed Smith had a blood alcohol content of .235, nearly three times the legal limit. The resulting shooting sparked a complex legal battle. After a 2016 conviction for manslaughter was vacated by the Supreme Court in 2021 due to the Ramos v. Louisiana ruling, a 2024 retrial resulted in a manslaughter conviction and a 22-year prison sentence for the shooter.
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