A Football Life Season 4 Episode 3 Jerry Smith

Jerry Smith was a pioneering and accomplished tight end for the Washington Football Team in the 1960s and 70s. In this episode of A Football Life, we learn about Smith's life on and off the field, including his struggles with his sexuality and his untimely death from AIDS.

The episode begins with Smith's childhood in West Virginia, where he grew up playing football and basketball with his brothers. After a standout high school career, he moved on to play for the University of Arizona, where he continued to impress as a tight end. He was eventually drafted by Washington in the ninth round of the 1965 NFL Draft, and quickly established himself as one of the league's best at his position.

As we learn more about Smith's football career, it becomes clear that he was more than just a talented athlete. He was known for his intelligence and work ethic, and was respected by his teammates and coaches alike. He was also one of the first NFL players to openly support civil rights causes, and he even marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, D.C.

But Smith was also grappling with a personal struggle that he kept hidden from the public eye. He was gay, and in a time when homosexuality was still widely stigmatized, this was something he couldn't openly discuss. This internal conflict is something that the episode handles with sensitivity and nuance, exploring how it affected Smith's relationships with others and his own sense of self. We hear from teammates and friends who were close to Smith, and they paint a portrait of a man who was deeply conflicted, but also fiercely determined to live his life on his own terms.

Tragically, Smith's life was cut short when he passed away from AIDS in 1986. The episode does not shy away from the devastating impact of his death, nor from the painful reality of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. But it also emphasizes the importance of remembering Smith as a trailblazer who was brave enough to be true to himself, even in the face of immense adversity.

Overall, this episode of A Football Life is a poignant and compelling tribute to Jerry Smith, a football legend who left an indelible mark on the sport and on the world. It explores his accomplishments on the field, but also delves into his personal life and the struggles he faced as a gay athlete. Through interviews with people who knew him best, we get a window into Smith's complex and fascinating character, and we leave the episode with a deep appreciation for his legacy.