Aldon Smith, the former NFL defensive end who burst onto the professional football scene as one of the game’s most feared pass rushers before a series of personal struggles cut short his career, passed away Saturday at age 36.
The San Francisco 49ers — the team that drafted Smith seventh overall in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Missouri — announced his death Saturday but offered no cause.
“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the organization 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.”
During his four seasons in San Francisco, Smith appeared in 50 regular-season games with 30 starts, compiling 152 tackles, 44 sacks, 81 quarterback hits, one interception, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one safety. In eight playoff games for the 49ers, he added 20 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
His impact was immediate and historic. Smith’s 14 sacks during his 2011 rookie campaign ranked as the second-highest single-season total by a first-year player since the NFL began officially tracking sacks in 1982, according to the team. He followed that up with 19.5 sacks in 2012, a franchise single-season record, and his combined 33.5 sacks over those first two years stand as the most ever recorded by any player in their opening two NFL seasons, per the team.
Smith earned a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2011, then received Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2012.
However, his career was repeatedly interrupted by off-field incidents. He was suspended nine games in 2014 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and the 49ers cut ties with him in August 2015 following a DUI arrest. According to an ESPN report published Saturday, Smith was arrested 10 times over a nine-year span, including a 2013 arrest on three felony charges related to possession of illegal assault weapons.
Smith landed with the Oakland Raiders and played nine games in 2015, but the NFL again suspended him indefinitely for another substance abuse policy violation. He missed the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons, and the Raiders released him in March 2018 after a domestic violence arrest.
He received another suspension in April 2020 after signing with the Dallas Cowboys, though he was reinstated the following month and went on to start all 16 games he appeared in for Dallas that season.
The Seattle Seahawks signed him in April 2021 but released him that August, effectively ending his playing career.
Over 75 regular-season games and 53 starts, Smith finished with 228 tackles, 52.5 sacks, one interception, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one safety, and 103 quarterback hits.
ESPN reported that Smith announced his retirement from professional football in 2023. In the year that followed, he channeled his experiences into a mentoring initiative aimed at helping young athletes navigate the pressures and distractions that come with life as a professional. He worked with the rookie classes of both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Smith was a Kansas City, Missouri native who played college football at Missouri for two seasons. In 23 games from 2009 to 2010, he recorded 79 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks. He was named a first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection and the team’s defensive lineman of the year in 2010 before entering the NFL Draft.
