Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith revealed how a life-threatening diagnosis during college nearly derailed his football career, reflecting on his battle with blood clots in his lungs.
Smith, now a two-time Super Bowl champion and the NFL’s highest-paid guard, recalled the alarming symptoms that emerged during his sophomore season at Tennessee.
“I can’t stand up, I can’t catch my breath,” Smith said on a recent appearance on In Good Company with Mitch Morse. “I’m like, ‘I’m not that out of shape. What’s going on?'”
After rapidly losing 13 pounds in a single day and struggling to breathe even while walking short distances across campus, Smith sought medical attention. What initially appeared to be a respiratory issue quickly became far more serious.
Sudden diagnosis halted promising college rise
At the time, Smith was already a cornerstone player for Tennessee, starting every game as a freshman and the first seven contests of his sophomore season under new head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
But his condition worsened rapidly. Smith recalled passing out and needing to stop multiple times just to walk roughly 500 yards to the library.
Soon afterward, team physician Dr. Chris Klenck urgently instructed him to go to the hospital, where doctors delivered the shocking diagnosis.
They said they found blood clots in both sides of my lungs.
Smith recalled that doctors confirmed the condition shortly before spring practice. Tennessee ruled him out indefinitely, casting doubt over whether he would ever return to football.
Recovery paved path to NFL success
Smith underwent months of treatment, including anticoagulant therapy and close medical supervision, before gradually working his way back to the field. He returned for his junior season and later chose to remain in school for his senior year rather than enter the 2020 NFL Draft.
Despite health concerns impacting his draft stock, the Chiefs selected Smith in the sixth round (No. 226 overall) in 2021 – a decision that proved transformative for both player and franchise.
Now an anchor of Kansas City’s offensive line and a key contributor to multiple championship runs, Smith said his journey represents more than professional success.
It is a reminder of how close his career – and life – once came to an abrupt end.
Read the full article here
