Aldon Smith Dies at Age 36, Former NFL All-Pro DE Played 4 Seasons with 49ers

Former All-Pro defensive end Aldon Smith died Saturday at the age of 36, the San Francisco 49ers announced Saturday.

The 49ers did not share a cause of death.

"We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith," the 49ers said in a statement. "Aldon's undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen."

The 49ers continued: "Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into. Our entire organization sends its deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Aldon."

The Raiders also released a statement on Smith's passing:

Smith starred for the 49ers for four seasons, including a Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up campaign in 2011 and an All-Pro season in 2012.

He played in the 2015 season for the Oakland Raiders and in the 2020 campaign for the Dallas Cowboys.

Smith, a Mississippi native, was named a First-Team Freshman All-American during his three-year college career at Mizzou from 2008 to 2010.

Selected by the 49ers with the No. 7 pick of the 2011 draft, Smith went on to become the fastest player to 30 sacks in NFL history.

He totaled 33.5 sacks in 2011 and 2012 to mark the highest total by any player through their first two seasons in the NFL.

Smith ranked behind only to Reggie White and Derrick Thomas for the most sacks through three seasons with 42.

He helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, then recorded 3.5 sacks the following postseason to help bring his team back to the NFC title game.

Smith finished out his 49ers career having played 50 games and racked up 44.0 sacks, which stands today as the 11th most in franchise history.

The linebacker did not play from 2016 to 2019. He closed out his NFL career by playing his sixth season in 2020 for Dallas, where he recorded 5.0 sacks and recovering two fumbles for 78 yards in 16 games.

After his NFL career, Smith worked as a rookie mentor for teams including Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars.