Former 49ers star Aldon Smith dies at 36

Former San Francisco 49ers star linebacker Aldon Smith has died at the age of 36. The team shared the tough news on Saturday.

“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the statement on San Francisco’s official website read.

“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.”

Smith saw action for three teams in the NFL, but he will always be most associated with the 49ers, who selected him as the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

He immediately blossomed into an important cog in San Francisco’s defense, finishing second in the 2011 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, which was won by Von Miller of the Denver Broncos. The following season, Smith earned his first and only Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods. 

In his first two seasons in the league, the former Missouri Tigers star amassed 33.5 sacks, 103 combined tackles and five passes defensed across 32 games.

Smith’s incredible start to his NFL career put him on a path to becoming one of the all-time greats, but off-field issues derailed him. He was hit with a nine-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in 2014, then received an indefinite suspension in 2015 and did not play in 2016 or 2017.

After his stint with the 49ers, he played for the then-Oakland Raiders and last played in the NFL in the 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys.