Former Teammates And NFL Players Grieve After The Shocking Murder Of Will Smith

Former Saints defensive lineman Will Smith died on Saturday night in New Orleans. Reports indicate that Smith was shot to death – he was reportedly rear ended by a man driving a Hummer, Smith got out to confront that man, and once things got heated, the Hummer driver pulled out a gun and shot the former Pro Bowler. Smith’s wife, who was in the car with him, was also shot and is currently in the hospital.

This kind of horrible, senseless violence goes beyond tragic. Losing a friend is never easy, but losing a friend to something like this is unfathomably difficult. In response to Smith’s passing, Sean Payton and a number of Smith’s former teammates with the Saints took a second and paid homage to him on social media.

https://twitter.com/JonVilma51/status/719054148658966528

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While he’s most well-known as a Saint, Smith had a brief stay with the New England Patriots before his retirement in 2014. His tenure was short, but one of his teammates recalled how great of a person Smith was.

Additionally, a handful of NFL players who never called Smith a teammate also took a moment to honor him.

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In addition to being a Saint, Smith was a member of the New Orleans community, as he stayed in the city after his football career ended. He hated the violence that would occur in the city, something that he condemned in a tweet that he sent out in 2012.

Smith’s family released a statement on his passing. In addition to thanking people for the outpouring of support that they have received, they asked for privacy while they grieve.

Smith was 34 years old at the time of his passing. He leaves behind a wife and three children.