By admin 
Two NFL players were tragically found dead before the start of Week 1.
Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season gets into high gear on Sunday. The first full NFL Sunday of the season is set for today. The majority of the league will be in action.
Read more 4 Week 1 NFL Storylines Giants Fans Should Monitor Before Sunday Night
Tragically, two former NFL players have been found dead, right before the start of the 2026 regular season.
Former NFL cornerback Alphonso Smith Jr. was found dead at 40 years old. It is believed that he died by suicide. Smith Jr., an All-American at Wake Forest, was a veteran defensive back.
“Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME! I did not want to be that WAY! I know I have disappointed so many folks. This is a DEMON in me! But not only me! It’s EVERYONE! I have HURT so many! I needed help & did not get it!” he wrote in a final post.
Read more Why is Eric Garcia Wearing Black Face Mask for Barcelona vs. Levante?
Tragically, another former NFL player, Matt Suhey, was found dead at home.
Suhey, a former Chicago Bears fullback, was found dead inside of his Illinois home last weekend. He was a legendary Bears figure, known for blocking for Walter Payton and helping the team win the 1985 Super Bowl.
A spokesperson for the Lake County Coroner’s Officer told The California Post that the initial police investigation “revealed that there were no suspicious circumstances” in his death. He was found dead at home in Deerfield, Illinois.
“Our preliminary investigation indicated that Mr. Suhey had a significant medical history and was being treated by a primary care physician (PCP),” Lake County Coroner’s Office chief deputy Steve Newton told the Post. “Therefore, our investigation was limited, and the PCP will be completing the death certificate for him, as it will be natural causes.”
Read more 3 NFL Games Bracing For Potential Thunderstorms Sunday
Our thoughts are with the friends and family members of both players.
Copyright The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 7:30 AM.