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Former Chargers linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr. dies at 64, family announces
Summary by The McAllen Editorial Desk Associated Press , as published by ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports
· July 30, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The McAllen Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Associated Press, as published by ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 30, 2026 Indexed here Jul 30, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway Billy Ray Smith Jr, a former linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, died at the age of 64.
A former NFL player has passed away. Billy Ray Smith Jr, a former linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, died at the age of 64. His family announced the news, stating that he died after experiencing dementia caused by CTE.
The family expressed profound sadness over the loss of Smith, who was also a college football hall of famer. Further details about his death and legacy can be found through the original statement from his family. For more information on Billy Ray Smith Jr's life and career, readers can refer to the full statement from his family, available through local news sources.
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About this story
As published by ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports . The McAllen surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local Published: July 30, 2026 Source: ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A former NFL player has passed away. Billy Ray Smith Jr, a former linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, died at the age of 64. His family announced the news, stating that he died after experiencing…
When was this published? This article was first published on July 30, 2026 by ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports and curated for The McAllen readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Associated Press at ValleyCentral (KVEO/CBS4) - Sports. To learn more about how The McAllen selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The McAllen, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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