FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Former NFL linebacker and North Side interim head coach Jaylon Smith stepped away from the field on Wednesday.
Smith, a Fort Wayne native and Bishop Luers graduate, visited Indiana Tech to share a message with students about finding purpose beyond athletics.
The former Knights star played at the collegiate level for Notre Dame and later carried out his dreams of playing in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys selected him in the second round of the NFL Draft.
Smith spoke to students during the guest speakers series titled “Navigate IT: The Next Play.” Throughout his discussion, Smith emphasized the importance of overcoming adversity, building confidence, turning challenges into opportunities and preparing for the next steps in life.
Smith adapted what he described as a “clear eye view” after suffering a knee injury during his final collegiate game. He said it was at that point that he had to focus on his core values to find his way back to the game.
That experience has now led to his desire to share with younger athletes the importance of focusing on life beyond athletics.
“There’s going to come a time where the game is going to come to an end, but you can add value,” Smith said. “You’re so much more than an athlete, and my purpose beyond athletics is to close the economic and educational gap. Being a serial entrepreneur is something that I’m very rooted in and have a lot of reps in, so I want to be able to feed the correct information to our students here,” Smith said.
Smith will be back on the sidelines on Friday, Oct. 9, as North Side looks to extend its four-game win streak against Homestead at home.
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