Aldon Smith, an All-Pro pass rusher and 2011 first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers whose career was sidetracked by legal problems, has died. He was 36. The 49ers announced his death, providing no details, USA Today reports. A dominant force early in his NFL career after starring at Missouri, Smith piled up 33.5 sacks over his first two seasons, an NFL record for a player's initial two years, and set the 49ers' single-season mark with 19.5 sacks in 2012, when the team reached the Super Bowl. That year brought his lone Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors as part of a standout group of linebackers that included Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. "Aldon's undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization," a team statement said.
Smith also had stints with the Raiders, Cowboys and Seahawks. His career unraveled, with repeated suspensions tied to substance abuse and legal issues. Smith was arrested on a weapons charge in 2013 but returned to the field. Other arrests followed on charges including suspicion of domestic battery, per the AP. He spent six months in jail on a DUI conviction in 2023 and didn't play again. "I've gotten a lot of support, from my family, friends, organization, teammates and everything," Smith said after being out in 2013. "And it really says a lot that people care about me outside the field and they care about me as a person." Former teammate Torrey Smith once called him "one of the best football players I've ever been around."
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