Former NFL star Aldon Smith has died suddenly at the age of 36, the San Francisco 49ers announced Saturday.
Smith, a once-dominant pass rusher whose NFL career was derailed by repeated legal issues and alcohol-related arrests, was reportedly dead on arrival at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California, according to NFL host Chase Senior.
No cause of death has been released.
“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the 49ers said in a statement.
The team remembered Smith as a rare talent who made an immediate impact after San Francisco selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
“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,” the team said.
The 49ers also remembered Smith for the person he was away from the field.
“Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into,” the statement continued. “Our entire organization sends its deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Aldon.”
Smith was once considered one of the brightest young defensive stars in football. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys before his NFL career ended.
He was drafted by the 49ers in 2011 and quickly became a force. As a rookie, he recorded 14 sacks and finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2012, Smith was named a first-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl after recording 19.5 sacks. He helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII.
Over his first four seasons in San Francisco, Smith piled up 44 sacks in 50 games and appeared headed toward a massive future in the league.
But his career was repeatedly interrupted by legal trouble and suspensions.
Smith faced a string of arrests over the years, including alcohol-related incidents and other charges. In 2012, he was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Miami. In 2013, he was arrested again on suspicion of DUI in San Jose after crashing his car into a tree.
He was also arrested in 2013 on felony weapons charges related to illegal assault weapons.
Smith voluntarily entered a treatment facility in 2013.
In 2014, he was suspended nine games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The 49ers later released him after another arrest involving hit-and-run, DUI and vandalism charges.
At the time, 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula said the organization would continue to support Smith as he worked toward recovery.
Smith signed with the Raiders in September 2015, but his comeback was quickly derailed. Two months later, the NFL suspended him for one year for another violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
He remained away from the NFL for years and had more run-ins with the law during that time.
In 2018, Smith was accused of attacking his then-fiancée, Shawna McKnight, and was later transferred to an inpatient rehab center after a domestic violence arrest. He was accused of biting her wrist and leaving before officers arrived.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Smith in May 2020, allowing him to attempt another comeback.
Smith signed with the Dallas Cowboys and returned to the field that season.
He later signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021, but just two days after joining the team, he was arrested on a second-degree battery charge in Louisiana. The Seahawks eventually waived him.
Smith never played again in the NFL.
In 2023, he announced on the I Am Athlete podcast that he was retiring from football.
“I’m done with ball,” he said.
In 2024, Smith reflected on his career in an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, saying he had talent but struggled with the responsibilities that came with being a professional athlete.
“I was good at playing football, but I wasn’t a good football player,” Smith said.
He explained that being a football player required discipline, direction and guidance.
“There were things off the field that I needed to work on, just being a young man and wandering in my way about life,” he said.
After news of Smith’s death broke, tributes poured in from across the football world.
Sports reporter Jay Glazer shared an emotional message, saying he was “absolutely gutted” by Smith’s passing.
Glazer said he was proud of the journey he and Smith took together to help him return to the NFL after years away from the league. He also remembered the bond they built through honest conversations and personal growth.
NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo called Smith’s death “incredibly tragic.”
Sports reporter Jordan Schultz also paid tribute, writing that Smith was one of his favorite pass rushers to watch and sending prayers to his family.