Aldon Smith: 49ers Rookie Sensation Arrested for DUI in Miami

More bad news has hit the San Francisco 49ers, as not even a week after losing the NFC Championship Game, one of their best players is now facing legal trouble. 

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle and KTVU are reporting that possible Defensive Rookie of the Year Aldon Smith was arrested in Miami Beach on Friday night and booked on DUI charges.

What It Means

Obviously, the legal system will play out here. There is nothing that the NFL or the 49ers can do that will trump the law. These things do happen to all different kinds of people, but NFL players need to do a better job of realizing that the spotlight is always on them. This is another example of a player failing to realize that. 

But Smith has given no reason to believe that this is a habitual problem. He had no disciplinary issues with the 49ers and no legal troubles to speak of. By all appearances, this looks like an isolated incident. While troubling, it isn't anything to overreact to. 

It does put games in doubt. While it's not likely that Smith will do any time, this is the kind of thing that Roger Goodell could take action on as part of the league's Personal Conduct Policy. The fact that it's his first offense makes that unlikely, but certainly not impossible. 

What's Next?

There isn't a lot to do other than wait. The legal system in Florida will be the first to determine what needs to happen to Smith. After that, it will be on the league and team to take action. 

49ers' PR Director Bob Lange has already released a statement via Twitter.

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Regardless of what happens, Smith will certainly spend a good amount of his 2012 season under a microscope. It isn't fair, but that is the world that we live in, and Smith knew that going in. When you make a mistake like this, it puts everything you do in the immediate future under an intense spotlight. 

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