Detroit Lions' Corey Smith sat on the bench in an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in September 2008 in San Francisco.
Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, who also was on the boat, is missing, as well.The U.S. Coast Guard upped its efforts this morning to scour to scour 750 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico for a 21-foot boat and its four passengers, including Lions free-agent defensive end Corey Smith.
The Air Force is also helping out with the search, contributing helicopters to the effort, WTSP-TV in Tampa reported this morning.
A news conference is planned for 11 a.m. to update the search conditions.
Smith, 29, spent the past three seasons with the Lions, mostly as a backup player. He and the three others, including Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, did not return Saturday night after embarking on a fishing trip just west of Tampa about 6:30 a.m. that morning.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Sondra-Kay Kneen said late Sunday that the search would continue through the night and described the water as "pretty rough, pretty choppy."
The Lions issued a statement Sunday that the team was maintaining contact with search authorities.
"First and foremost, however, is that our thoughts and prayers are with all the passengers, their families and all those involved in the search efforts," the statement read.
Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close said the weather early Saturday had been fair, but worsened toward the evening as a front moved in.
Close said at least one of the men was an experienced boater, and relatives provided the Coast Guard with GPS coordinates from previous fishing expeditions.
Close said there was no communication with the men even before the weather started to pick up. They were expected home by early evening. No sign of them or the boat had been spotted by Sunday evening. Relatives told the Coast Guard the men had life jackets and flares.
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