Billy Ray Smith dies at 64; former Charger, broadcaster was ‘larger than life’ - San Diego Union-Tribune

What the report says

Medianewsgroup.com, carrying a San Diego Union-Tribune report, said Billy Ray Smith, a former San Diego Chargers linebacker and later a San Diego media personality, has died. The available snippet says Smith played linebacker for the Chargers from 1983 through 1992 and that his family said he had dementia caused by CTE. His family described him in a statement as someone who brought joy, light and laughter to others. The accessible metadata contains an age discrepancy: the supplied headline says 64, while the report URL refers to 66, so his age is not confirmed here.

Smith was closely associated with the Chargers during a decade in San Diego, a period that made him a recognizable figure to local football fans. After his playing career, he also became known in local broadcasting, extending his public presence beyond the field. The Union-Tribune headline characterized him as “larger than life,” reflecting the way he was remembered in the local coverage.

The report’s reference to dementia and CTE places Smith’s death within a broader, long-running concern about neurological disease among former football players. CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, has been linked by researchers to repeated head impacts, though specific medical findings in any individual case should be attributed carefully to family statements or formal diagnoses. Based on the limited accessible article text, further details about the timing, place and circumstances of Smith’s death were not available.