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Former NFL Star Aldon Smith Dies at 36

6/14/2026

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Summary

Aldon Smith Dies

Aldon Smith died at age 36 at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose.
He was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and recorded 14 rookie sacks and a franchise-record 19.5 sacks in 2012, earning All-Pro honors.
His career featured ten arrests, DUIs, a 2013 weapons charge, suspensions, and stints with the Raiders, Cowboys and Seahawks.
Weeks before his death he mentored 49ers rookies and ran a youth program.

Summary

Aldon Smith Mentors

Smith announced his retirement in 2023 during a podcast after his jail release.
In 2024 he launched a mentorship program for classes of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.
He told NBC Sports Bay Area in 2024 that therapy for alcohol and mental-health struggles raised his self-esteem.
Smith told Eva Geitheim that at 20 his self-esteem was lowest despite success, and his outreach aims to help young athletes avoid comparable pressures.

History

Historical Context

After O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder acquittal and the $33.5 million civil judgment against him, the NFL has sought ways to reduce player legal problems. In 2024 Aldon Smith launched a mentorship program with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders, reflecting the league’s broader preventive effort to curb arrests and substance-abuse scandals.

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Aldon Smith Dies

Aldon Smith died at age 36 at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose.
He was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and recorded 14 rookie sacks and a franchise-record 19.5 sacks in 2012, earning All-Pro honors.
His career featured ten arrests, DUIs, a 2013 weapons charge, suspensions, and stints with the Raiders, Cowboys and Seahawks.
Weeks before his death he mentored 49ers rookies and ran a youth program.

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