A.J. Smith, the legendary NFL executive who served as the general manager for the Chargers, has passed away at the age of 75 after a long battle with prostate cancer. His son, Kyle Smith, who is currently the assistant general manager for the Atlanta Falcons, announced his father’s death in a statement released by the Falcons.
Smith had an illustrious career in the NFL, spending 35 years in the league. He began as a part-time scout with the New York Giants in 1977 and went on to have two stints with the Chargers, first as pro personnel director in 1985-86. He returned to San Diego as assistant GM in 2001 and was promoted to general manager in 2003.
During his tenure as GM, the Chargers won five division titles and had 98 wins, including the playoffs, which were the sixth most in the league from 2003-12. Despite the team’s success in the regular season, they did not make it to the Super Bowl under Smith’s leadership.
One of Smith’s most notable moves was selecting Eli Manning first overall in the 2004 NFL draft, despite Manning’s refusal to play for the Chargers. This led to a trade with the New York Giants for Philip Rivers, who went on to have a successful career with the Chargers.
Smith was also known for firing Marty Schottenheimer as coach after the 2006 season and recommending Norv Turner as his replacement. The Chargers made the playoffs during Turner’s first three seasons as coach, but both Turner and Smith were eventually fired after a second straight losing campaign in 2012.
Smith’s legacy in the NFL will be remembered for his contributions to the Chargers and the impact he had on the league as a whole. He is survived by his wife, Susan, son Kyle, daughter Andrea, son-in-law Noah, and three grandchildren.
