Aldon Smithan earlier one San Francisco 49ers linebacker, is dead. He was 36.
49ers released an official statement via X on Saturday, June 13 to confirm the news.
“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the statement read. “Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field was present from the moment he joined our organization after registering one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen.”
The organization continued: “In addition to 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.”
Dallas Cowboys star Larry Allen died suddenly at the age of 52 while on vacation with his family in Mexico. “The Dallas Cowboys are very saddened to announce that Cowboys legend, Super Bowl Champion, Cowboys Ring of Honor member and Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Allen passed away suddenly while on vacation in Mexico (…)
An official cause of death has not yet been released.
Shocked fans reacted to the news by sharing their devastation at the sports star’s untimely death.
“Damn, I just saw his highlights a few weeks ago, damn man,” wrote one X user, while another added: “36 is too damn young! Rest in peace Aldon.”
Another wrote: “So tragic, sad. He was an incredible player.”
Smith was selected by the 49ers with the 7th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and quickly established himself as one of football’s most feared pass rushers. During his first two seasons in the league, he recorded 33.5 sacks across 32 regular season games.
Aldon Smith.
(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)His breakout rookie campaign earned him runner-up Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2011. The following season, Smith was named a first-team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl selection after helping lead San Francisco to one of the NFL’s best defenses.
Smith also started in Super Bowl XLVII, where the 49ers faced the Baltimore Ravens in February 2013.
Despite his success on the field, Smith’s NFL career was marred by a number of problems off the field. In 2014, he served a nine-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The 49ers released Smith in August 2015 after a DUI arrest. He later signed with the Oakland Raiders and appeared in nine games during the 2015 season, making seven starts.
After Week 10 of that campaign, Smith was suspended indefinitely by the NFL. The suspension sidelined him for the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Smith’s career was further derailed by several off-field issues, including an arrest in 2018 on a domestic violence charge that led to his release from the Raiders.
He returned to the NFL with the Cowboys in 2020, starting all 16 games and recording 5.0 sacks. Smith later signed with the Seahawks during the 2021 offseason, but was released before the start of the regular season.
