India, Sept. 3 -- Former Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos cornerback Alphonso Smith Jr. has died at the age of 40, with his death coming shortly after he shared a deeply troubling message on social media. In the 14-paragraph Facebook post, Smith apologized repeatedly to his children, family and friends while opening up about personal struggles and painful experiences from his childhood. He also wrote about needing help and described his battle with what he called his "demons."

Smith was found dead Wednesday at a housing community in Florida, according to reports from TMZ Sports. The former NFL defensive back was selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft before being traded to the Denver Broncos. His final so...