The NFL world is in mourning once again, as the San Francisco 49ers announced on Saturday night that former defensive end Aldon Smith has died at the age of 36. According to Chase Senior, Smith arrived dead-on-arrival (DOA) at a hospital in San Jose, California.
Smith had a true rollercoaster of an NFL career. He was drafted seventh overall by the Niners in 2011, recorded 14.0 sacks as a rookie and then exploded in 2012, breaking the franchise record for sacks in a season (19.5). But problems arose right after that.
Aldon Smith dealt with a lot of legal issues throughout his NFL career, as a result of alcohol addiction
Ultimately, he was cut by San Francisco following a third DUI in 2015, after having gone through a rehab stint, several arrests, and a nine-game suspension by the NFL. He also spent time with the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, but could never recover his All-Pro form.
Smith had recently sat down with Tee Maultsby for an in-depth interview on his “Laced Up” barber shop YouTube show. Smith had discussed his trials and tribulations, both on and off the field, including dealing with severe alcohol addiction and substance abuse. Maultsby responded to the news of Smith’s passing with shock: “I literally can’t function right now”.
There’s currently no known cause of death for Smith, as this is a developing story.