Story perspectives

Former NFL Lineman Aldon Smith Dies, Brain Sent for CTE

6/16/2026

Summary

Aldon Smith Dies

Former NFL defensive lineman Aldon Smith died at age 36 on Saturday.
His family sent his brain to Boston experts for testing for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other damage.
Attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall are investigating his death.
He recorded 19.5 sacks in 2012, a 49ers single-season record, and earned All-Pro honors.
After arrests, suspensions and team changes, he launched the “I.M. Loading” mentorship project in 2024.

Summary

Experts Examine Brain

Boston-based experts will examine Smith’s brain for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other trauma.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease diagnosed only after death and appears in athletes and combat veterans with repeated head impacts.
The family asked for privacy while attorneys’ involvement shows legal scrutiny of the NFL’s brain-injury policies, adding Smith’s case to the rising number of former players studied for CTE.

Summary

Aldon Smith Examined

Aldon Smith was found slumped in Amir Shirazi’s car after delivering pizzas to a homeless charity.
His brain will be examined in Boston, following a donation by the family of NHL star Claude Lemieux, who died May 28 at age 60.
Smith helped the 49ers reach three straight NFC Championship Games and the 2012 Super Bowl, then spent one season each with the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys before the Cowboys declined to re-sign him.

Summary

Smith Serves Homeless

Smith spent his final hours delivering food to homeless people in Los Gatos, an hour before dying at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Pastor Scott Wagers posted on Instagram calling Smith gracious and humble.
Earlier that week Smith spoke to 49ers rookies, emphasizing mentorship.
His family hired civil-rights attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall to oversee the post-mortem process, with his brain slated for examination at Boston University’s CTE Center.

History

Historical Context

The NFL’s concussion crisis traces back to early-20th-century safety reforms, such as the 1905 Roosevelt-led rule changes that created the NCAA, and to the league’s 1994 MTBI committee that downplayed risks. After a 2013 $765 million settlement with over 4,500 retirees, the league tightened protocols; today Aldon Smith’s family sent his brain to Boston University’s CTE Center, renewing pressure for stricter monitoring.

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Aldon Smith Dies

Former NFL defensive lineman Aldon Smith died at age 36 on Saturday.
His family sent his brain to Boston experts for testing for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other damage.
Attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall are investigating his death.
He recorded 19.5 sacks in 2012, a 49ers single-season record, and earned All-Pro honors.
After arrests, suspensions and team changes, he launched the “I.M. Loading” mentorship project in 2024.

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