The Chargers are mourning the passing of Billy Ray Smith, a former linebacker who passed away on Wednesday.
Smith, who spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers, was 64 years old.
"To know Billy Ray was to love Billy Ray. Yes, he was a member of our 50th Anniversary team. Yes, he was a Charger for life, playing his entire 10-year career here," said Dean Spanos, the Chargers Owner and Chairman of the Board. "But he wasn't merely a great football player. He was, truly, larger than life. Always smiling. Lighting up every room he walked into. Infectious laughter. The kind of friend a friend should be. That was Billy Ray."
"When someone who brought so much positivity into the world leaves us, it's hard to process. Hard to accept. That's how I feel right now, and I know I'm not alone," Spanos continued.
"Billy Ray loved his family, loved the Chargers, loved his teammates, loved his community and loved helping those in need. And we all loved him back," Spanos added. "Our hearts are with his wife, Kimberly, daughter, Savannah and the countless people whose lives were made just a little bit brighter because they had the privilege of knowing Billy Ray."
Smith was named the Chargers Team MVP in 1987 and was the team's Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1986.
Smith was the No. 5 overall pick of the 1983 NFL Draft and was a member of the Chargers 50th Anniversary Team, appearing in 126 games with 111 starts.
Smith racked up hundreds of tackles along with 15 career interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries and 13 forced fumbles.
Smith grew up in Texas and helped Plano Senior High School win a Texas Class 4A state title before starring at the University of Arkansas
A two-time unanimous All-American for the Razorbacks in 1981 and 1982, Smith was named as a member of Arkansas' All-Decade Team and later the program's All-Century Team.
Smith was also in inducted into both the Arkansas State Hall of Fame, the Razorback Hall of Honor and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
