Family: Ex-LB Billy Ray Smith Jr. dies of CTE-caused dementia
A new NFL update is on the board from ESPN. The source report points to Former Chargers linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer Billy Ray Smith Jr. has died at 64, with his family saying he had CTE-caused dementia. Total Highlights is tracking the story for readers who want the quick version and a direct path back to the original report.
Total Highlights Sports Deskยท Verified Source: ESPN
A new NFL update is on the board from ESPN. The source report points to Former Chargers linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer Billy Ray Smith Jr. has died at 64, with his family saying he had CTE-caused dementia. Total Highlights is tracking the story for readers who want the quick version and a direct path back to the original report.
This short update is written by Total Highlights from source metadata and public reporting context. It is designed as a quick pointer, not a republication of the source article.
![120511 Billy Ray Smith Jr. photo [1296x729]](https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2026/0730/r1695496_1296x729_16-9.jpg)
