Former NFL defensive end Aldon Smith, who quickly made an impact as an All-Pro pass rusher before encountering off-field issues, died on Saturday. He was 36.
The San Francisco 49ers, who selected Smith seventh overall in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Missouri, confirmed his death on Saturday without providing a cause.
“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the team said in a statement. “Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen. Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into. Our entire organization sends its deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Aldon.”
Smith played his first four seasons for the 49ers and totaled 152 tackles, 44 sacks, 81 quarterback hits, one interception, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one safety in 50 regular-season games (30 starts). He added another 20 tackles and 5.5 sacks in eight playoff games (six starts) for San Francisco.
His 14 sacks in 2011 were the second-most by a rookie in one season since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, per the team. Smith’s 19.5 sacks in 2012 set a franchise single-season mark and his 33.5 total from 2011-12 are the most by any player in his first two NFL seasons, per the team.
Smith made the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2011 and was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro in 2012.
Smith was suspended nine games in 2014 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The 49ers released him in August 2015 after a DUI arrest.
He was arrested 10 times in nine years for a series of incidents, per an ESPN report on Saturday, including an arrest for three felony charges of possessing illegal assault weapons in October 2013.
Smith played nine games (seven starts) for the Oakland Raiders in 2015 before the league suspended him indefinitely for another violation of its substance abuse policy.
After missing the entire 2016 and 2017 campaigns, the Raiders released him in March 2018 after an arrest for domestic violence.
The NFL suspended him in April 2020 when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys and he was reinstated from the suspension that May. He played 16 games (all starts) for the Cowboys in 2020.
The Seattle Seahawks signed him in April 2021 and released him that August.
His career totals were 228 tackles, 52.5 sacks, one interception, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one safety and 103 QB hits in 75 regular-season games (53 starts).
ESPN reported that Smith announced his retirement from the NFL in 2023, and the next year he began a project mentoring young athletes on dealing with the pressures and distractions of being a professional athlete. He also mentored the rookie classes of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.
Smith, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, played two seasons at Missouri and totaled 79 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in 23 games from 2009-10. He was a first-team All-Big 12 Conference pick and the team’s defensive lineman of the year in 2010.
