Former San Francisco 49ers star Aldon Smith died on Saturday, June 13, at age 36. Three days later, his family made clear they are not waiting around for vague answers. Through attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers, and Wayne Kendall, the family said Smith’s brain is being sent to Boston for examination as they investigate whether CTE or other trauma-related damage played a role in his death.
That detail changes the story in a major way. Smith’s cause of death has not been announced, and the medical examiner’s findings are still pending. But the family’s next step puts the focus directly on football-related brain trauma, years of concussions, and whether the hits Smith took during his career may have left damage behind that only experts can now confirm.
Why Aldon Smith’s family wants his brain examined in Boston
The family’s attorneys said they are looking into every possible factor tied to Smith’s death. In their statement, they said, “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. 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.”
That matters because CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, cannot be diagnosed while a person is alive. It is identified only after death through examination of the brain. Smith’s family has also said he suffered numerous concussions during his career, which is why this is now a central part of the investigation.
TMZ also reported that Smith was found unresponsive in his truck on Saturday after spending part of the day delivering pizzas to homeless people. Pastor Scott Wagers, who saw Smith that day, told TMZ the former NFL pass rusher seemed tired but was otherwise gentle and friendly.
Smith’s football peak was real, but so were the questions that followed him
Smith entered the NFL as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Missouri. He made an immediate impact in San Francisco and quickly became one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushers. He recorded 14 sacks as a rookie, then followed that with 19.5 sacks in 2012, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
He was a major part of a 49ers run that included three straight NFC Championship Game appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl. On the field, his ceiling looked massive. Off the field, his career kept getting interrupted by arrests, suspensions, and time away from football. After San Francisco released him in 2015, he later spent time with the Oakland Raiders and returned for one season with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.
The 49ers said in a statement, “We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith. 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 … Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into.”
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