Aldon Smith dies at 36: San Francisco 49ers player was 36

alden smitha former san francisco 49ers The linebacker has died. He was 36 years old.

49ers released An official statement through on Saturday, June 13 to confirm the news.

“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Alden Smith,” the statement said. “Alden’s undeniable talent and dominance on the field was on display from the moment he joined our organization, recording one of the National Football League’s best rookie seasons.”

The organization added, “In addition to his excellence as a player, Alden will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up any room he walked into. Our entire organization offers our deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Alden.”

The official cause of death has not been released yet.

Shocked fans reacted to the news by sharing their grief over the sports star’s untimely death.

“Damn, I was just watching his highlights a few weeks ago, damn man,” one ex wrote, while another wrote, “36 is too small!! Easy Alden.”

Another wrote: “So sad, so sad. He was an incredible player.”

Smith was selected by the 49ers with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and established himself as one of football’s most dangerous pass rushers. During his first two seasons in the league, he recorded 33.5 sacks in 32 regular season games.

Alden Smith. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

His breakout rookie campaign earned him second place in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2011. The following season, Smith was named first-team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl selection after helping lead San Francisco to one of the NFL’s top 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 hampered by several issues 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. He was sidelined for the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons due to suspension.

Smith’s career was derailed by more off-field issues, including a 2018 arrest on domestic violence charges, which 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.