Former San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Aldon Smith likely saw any chance of continuing his NFL career come to a sudden end when he began a year-long stint in jail this week, after a decade of run-ins with the law.
Last December, the man that was selected with the seventh pick overall in the 2011 NFL Draft was arrested after an accident in Redwood City, Calif. The 33-year-old reportedly rear-ended a truck that was stopped at a sign on a freeway off-ramp. The accident led to the victim in the truck suffering injuries to their back, wrist, knee, leg, and foot.
Officers investigating the crash reported that Smith was intoxicated. The one-time Pro Bowler also had marijuana in his pocket, and there were reportedly empty bottles of rum and vodka in his car as well.
The incident led to the former 49ers first-round pick being charged with one felony count of drunk driving causing injury. In January, Smith agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid serving 16 months in jail. Instead, TMZ Sports reported that the Kansas City native will spend the next year in Northern California jail.
The Missouri standout who played four seasons with San Francisco was also given five years of supervised probation.
The NFL veteran seemed primed to be one of the next great pass-rushing talents when he entered the league in 2011. Smith tallied 14 sacks as a rookie and earned All-Rookie Team and NFL PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He followed that up the next season with an outstanding 19.5 sacks that made him an All-Pro.
Injuries curtailed his next two seasons, however, and his 49ers tenure ended after multiple headline-making arrests and a nine-game ban by the league in 2014.
He would go on to play half a season with the Raiders in 2015 before getting handed a year ban from the NFL for a substance abuse violation. He then sat out four seasons before joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, playing in 16 games and racking up three sacks.
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