Aldon Smith's Suspension Was Not Reduced by League

Updates from Monday, Nov. 10

Jim Harbaugh spoke about Aldon Smith's return to the 49ers, via Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle:

Paul Gutierrez of ESPN shared more comments from Harbaugh:

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'We’ll see,' Harbaugh said. 'I mean, I understand he’s eligible to play and to practice and I very much look forward to that. There’s consquences for actions, good and bad. Good consequences for good actions and there’s accountability and he has served that. He has done that. 

'Look forward to moving forward and a fresh, clean slate and that’s what I anticipate and look forward to.'

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Updates from Sunday, Nov. 9

ESPN's Ed Werder reports why Aldon Smith's suspension was not reduced:

Smith's agent later denied Werder's report, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:

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'He upheld all requirements,' agent Doug Hendrickson told PFT by phone.

Hendrickson also said that Smith had no specific requirements for counseling, but that Smith did indeed engage in counseling provided both by the league and externally.  Smith also engaged in more than 280 hours of community service.

If Smith had specific counseling requirements in connection with his suspension that he failed to fulfill, then his reinstatement after completing the nine-game suspension should be jeopardized.  It’s not.

'He will be reinstated [Monday],' Hendrickson said.

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ESPN's Adam Schefter later reported Smith will end up paying to play this season due to his contract status: 

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Smith, who is eligible to return to the 49ers this week after serving a nine-game suspension, will become one of the rare, if not the only player in league history, to pay for the privilege of playing football, according to sources.

After Smith's nine-game suspension, his salary this season will be $1.099 million, with the net after taxes being $525,000. The 49ers will take all of that from his game checks this season for money he owes due to signing bonus forfeiture, according to sources.

But what he makes this season won't be enough to cover what he owes the 49ers, so the team will take another $661,000 after this season, the sources said.

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Updates from Wednesday, Nov. 5

ESPN.com has an update on Smith's suspension:

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The nine-game suspension San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith is serving will not be reduced, a league source told ESPN's Ed Werder on Tuesday.

The star pass rusher can return for the 49ers' game on the road against the New York Giants on Nov. 16 but won't play Sunday at New Orleans.

The league has been reviewing his case for two weeks to determine whether he was compliant with all aspects of court- and league-mandated requirements.

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Updates from Tuesday, Nov. 4 

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provides an update on Smith's status for Week 10: 

Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com provides comments from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who spoke about what capacity Smith will participate in after the suspension is lifted:

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He’ll step right back on the field and play.

How long and how many plays will be determined by what we see in practice and how he’s doing in the game, but I wouldn’t think he’d be able to play 90 percent of the plays early on. Although he’s been here working out and training, it’s not the same as playing football. So we’ll keep an eye on that and do what’s best for him.

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Updates from Monday, Nov. 3

Mark Maske of The Washington Post reported what he was hearing in regard to Smith's suspension:

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A person with knowledge of the league’s inner workings said there is 'a reasonably good chance' Smith will be reinstated this week by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, one week early, as a positive reinforcement for the manner in which Smith has conducted himself since being suspended.

Smith would be eligible to play Sunday at New Orleans if the suspension is ended a week early. If not, he would not play until Nov. 16 against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands.

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Updates from Wednesday, Oct. 29

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has an update on Smith's potential suspension reduction:

Original Text

A struggling San Francisco 49ers pass rush might get outside linebacker Aldon Smith back early from his nine-game suspension.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, "There’s a chance that the suspension will be lifted a game or two early." Smith was suspended in late August under the NFL's substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies.

Florio noted that Smith's suspension has been unlike many others of its ilk:

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Then again, other aspects of Smith’s suspension weren’t announced, or explained. For example, Smith had appeal rights that apparently were waived by the player. Likewise, the league twisted its policies regarding player banishment from the team facility to allow Smith to continue to show up during his suspension, even though players suspended under the personal conduct policy always are ordered to stay away until fully reinstated.

It’s possible that the league office dangled a different carrot for Smith, encouraging him to go above and beyond his expected behavior with the hope of possibly being allowed to return a little early.

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After the report from Florio before the team's Sunday Night Football encounter with the Denver Broncos, general manager Trent Baalke noted that he has not heard anything on a reduced suspension for his star linebacker, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The league itself then told Maiocco that "there is no update on Smith's status."

Uncredited/Associated Press

The initial suspension was tallied as four games for substance-abuse violations and five more for personal-conduct violations, per ESPN's Ed Werder. 

Entering Sunday's game against the Broncos, the 49ers ranked No. 2 against the pass and No. 5 against the rush despite the absences of Smith and NaVorro Bowman, as well as a recent injury to fellow linebacker Patrick Willis. In that same span, though, the unit had generated just 10 sacks.

As things currently stand, Smith is eligible to return to the active roster on Nov. 10, one day after the team visits New Orleans in Week 10 for a critical NFC duel against the Saints.