Aldon Smith's Brain Will Be Sent to Experts in Boston to Check for Signs of CTE, His Family Says

The family of former NFL defensive lineman Aldon Smith announced that his brain will be sent to medical experts in Boston to determine if chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) played a role in his death, per ESPN.

Smith died at the age of 36 on Saturday, though no cause of death has been given. His family has hired attorneys to investigate his death.

"As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon Smith's passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it," attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall said Tuesday in a statement. "To that end, we have taken a number of steps including sending his brain to Boston where medical experts will examine it for CTE as well as other damage caused by years of concussions and additional trauma. In the meantime, we simply ask you to keep Aldon's family in our prayers and respect their privacy as they struggle to come to grips with this terrible loss."

CTE is a degenerative brain disease that can only be diagnosed after death. It has been found in athletes who play contact sports, combat veterans and others who have been exposed to repetitive head trauma. Those who have been found to have had the disease experienced violent mood swings, impulsive behavior and depression.

Smith's family asserted that he had suffered numerous concussions during his NFL career, per ESPN.

Smith played six seasons in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys before he ended his football career in 2023.