Aldon Smith died last weekend at the age of 36. His family is not accepting the initial reports and has hired a trio of lawyers to investigate.
The former 49ers and Raiders pass rusher was found unresponsive at his home last Saturday. Initial reports suggested a medical incident, but no official cause of death has been released by authorities. The Smith family announced Thursday that they would conduct their own investigation through legal counsel.
This is a tragedy any way you write it. Smith was once one of the most dominant young defenders in NFL history. He racked up 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons and looked like a generational talent before his career and personal life unraveled.
The Aldon Smith story has always been complicated. He came out of Missouri as the No. 7 overall pick in 2011 and immediately produced. He was a Pro Bowler as a sophomore. He was on track to chase Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record before the personal struggles took over.
The arrests started in 2012. Then the substance abuse issues became public. Then came the suspensions, the team releases, and the brief comeback attempts. He last played in the NFL in 2020 with the Seahawks after a five-year absence, but he was cut shortly after and never returned to the league.
The conversation around Smith in recent years had been one of hope. He had spoken publicly about his recovery. He was working in motivational speaking. He had reconnected with his family and was rebuilding relationships across the football community.
His sudden death has shaken the 49ers organization. Patrick Willis, his former teammate, posted a long tribute on social media that spoke to the player Smith was and the friend many had hoped he would become again. Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, and Justin Smith all posted memorials within hours of the news breaking.
The investigation the family is pursuing is about understanding what happened. The lawyers they have hired specialize in wrongful death cases and toxicology analysis. They have specifically said they are not pursuing any criminal allegations but want a complete accounting of the medical circumstances.
That is a reasonable request. The Smith family has watched too many of his peers die young from the cumulative effects of football, substance abuse, and mental health struggles. Junior Seau. Chris Henry. The pattern of NFL players dying before their 40th birthday is too consistent to ignore.
The NFL Players Association is also reportedly looking into the case. Former players have access to NFLPA-sponsored health programs, and the union wants to understand whether Smith was receiving the kind of support he needed. The numbers on post-career mental health and substance abuse among NFL retirees remain deeply troubling.
For Smith personally, the legacy question is impossible. He was a generational defensive talent who never realized his full potential. He was a person who fought addiction publicly and openly. He was a teammate who former players spoke about with deep affection.
The football part of his story will always be the great unfinished work. What would Aldon Smith have been if he had stayed healthy and clean? Five-time Pro Bowler? Hall of Fame edge rusher? Defensive Player of the Year? The answers are unknowable, which makes the loss even harder.
The personal part of his story is what his family will remember. Smith leaves behind two children. Their father was complicated and human, and he was trying. That is the version of him most worth holding onto.
The investigation will take months. The answers may never fully come. What is certain is that another former NFL player has died young, and the league’s relationship with player wellness is still nowhere near where it needs to be.
Rest easy, Aldon. The football world is mourning, and the work of helping the players who follow is far from done.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
