Aldon Smith, former NFL defensive lineman, died suddenly at age 36 on Saturday after delivering pizzas to a homeless charity in the San Francisco Bay area [1, 2]. Smith was found unresponsive, slumped over in the front passenger seat of a friend's car, and no official cause of death has been released [1, 2].
Smith was drafted seventh overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He set the franchise sack record with 19.5 in 2012 and reached 30 career sacks in just 27 games—the fastest pace in NFL history [1, 2]. He played for the 49ers, Oakland Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys during his career [1, 2].
The former defensive lineman's career was marked by both on-field success and off-field issues, including multiple arrests and suspensions. Smith posted 14 sacks in his rookie season but was released by the 49ers in 2015 after his third DUI arrest, later signing with the Raiders [1, 2].
Smith's family has hired attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers, and Wayne Kendall to investigate his death. The attorneys said, "As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon Smith’s passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it." They confirmed the family is donating Smith's brain to the Boston University CTE Center to examine it for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and related brain injuries caused by concussions and trauma [1].
Friends and former teammates expressed shock and grief. Amir Shirazi, who discovered Smith unresponsive, said, "I came out and he was basically dead in my front seat. I’m just in shock." Former teammate Anthony Dixon recalled Smith’s talent and presence, stating, "He was a creative mind, so smart, so fierce, so real, so powerful.... I wish I could’ve did more to help him and pray to God he doesn’t have to hurt anymore" [1, 2].
Smith’s death on June 13 followed a history of rehab stints, suspensions, and legal troubles during his NFL tenure, including a nine-game suspension in 2014 for substance abuse and personal conduct policy violations [2].
The family’s legal team continues to investigate Smith’s sudden death, while the brain study will provide medical experts with critical information about the impacts of repeated head trauma in football. No further reports on his cause of death have been released as of today.
