What happened to Aldon Smith? Why was former Cowboys star imprisoned?
Life after football is hard for some players to adjust to, and for former NFL star Aldon Smith, this is especially true. After stints with the San Francisco 49ers, the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys, Smith found his way out of the league.
Now, per TMZ Sports, the 33-year-old could have landed in legal trouble. Smith could face 16 months in state prison after cutting a plea deal in his DUI case. He was charged with drunk driving, which caused injury.
Who are the favorites for the Super Bowl?
The drink-and-drive incident happened back in December 2021, when Smith rear-ended another vehicle which caused several injuries to the other driver.
Former NFL star, #49ers, #Cowboys Linebacker Aldon Smith faces up to 16 months in prison, via @TMZ_Sports
tmz.com/2023/01/19/ald… https://t.co/2bUVbjMWBq
TMZ also reported that Smith's court date is in March, where he will learn what his sentence will be. Being 33 years old, if the 16-month jail sentence sticks, he would be 34 by the time he's free and a chance of an NFL comeback would likely be squashed if it wasn't already.
Aldon Smith's career a tale of what if
Taken with the seventh pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the 49ers, Smith's career began with a bang. For most rookies, even first-rounders, there is an adjustment period from college to the NFL. Not for Aldon Smith.
In his rookie season, he played all 16 games (didn't start any) and registered 14 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and 27 quarterback hits as he was named an All-Pro. The world was his oyster.
He followed up his rookie season with an even better second, finishing with 19.5 sacks from 16 games as he was again named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler.
Aldon Smith managed 11 games in 2013 and had 8.5 sacks, but that is when problems arose. He played just seven games the following year before moving on to the Raiders.
He spent one season there before being suspended for numerous off-field issues which meant he didn't see a football field for four years.
The Dallas Cowboys took a chance on him in 2020, wherein he played all 16 games and got five sacks, but that is the last we have seen of him.
After this latest incident, it is likely that we won't see him again on a football field.