Raiders mourn – The Las Vegas Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers both announced the sudden death of former NFL defensive end Aldon Smith at age 36 on June 13, with no cause of death released publicly. Smith’s career included record-setting rookie production, All-Pro honors,
San Francisco’s facility was already quiet when the 49ers posted the words that stopped a lot of people mid-scroll: Aldon Smith was gone.
The team announced the passing of the former defensive star, 36, on June 13. In an official statement. the 49ers said. “We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith.” They added that his “undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization. ” pointing to one of the National Football League’s best rookie seasons. The organization also wrote that he would be remembered beyond football for an “infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into. ” and offered “deepest condolences” to the Smith family and everyone who knew him.
Soon after, the Las Vegas Raiders issued their own message of loss.
“The Raiders Family is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Aldon Smith. who passed away at the age of 36. ” the Raiders said. They noted that Smith played nine games for the Raiders in 2015 and that his career included 52.5 sacks in six active seasons. The statement emphasized how he “proudly wore the Silver and Black. ” was respected by his teammates. and “will be missed dearly. ” concluding with condolences from “the entire Raider Nation” to his family.
As of this writing, no cause of death or surrounding details have been publicly disclosed, leaving teammates, fans, and former coaches with the hardest kind of uncertainty: the kind that follows sudden news, with no explanation yet.
Smith’s story began with force. He emerged as a generational pass-rushing talent at the University of Missouri. and the San Francisco 49ers selected him seventh overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, a Kansas City, Missouri native recorded 14 sacks across 16 games. In 2012. his second year in San Francisco. he earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors with 19.5 sacks. 66 tackles (50 solo). 29 quarterback hits. and 18 tackles for loss. He then played two more years in San Francisco before joining the Raiders. who were still in Oakland at the time.
But his rise was later shadowed by struggles that the league ultimately addressed. The NFL suspended Smith for one year in November 2015 due to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. After a series of troubling events and an eventual “indefinite” suspension, he was reinstated in May 2020. He played 16 games for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2020 season, marking what would become the end of a once-promising career.
In May 2024, Smith appeared on 95.7 The Game and spoke publicly about his past while describing his mindset in the moment. “I was blessed to be able to have those experiences,” Smith said. “I know that might sound weird. But for me to be where I am today and have a genuine. authentic conversation and it not be fluff and be in a good place and want to give and share and use my journey — my good things. my mistakes. and everything I’ve learned — and be able to give that back to people?. It means the world.”.
Taken together. the tributes from both organizations and the lack of disclosed details now leave the same question hanging over everyone who followed Smith’s career: how do you hold a lifetime of talent. turmoil. and change in your hands when the ending arrives without warning?. For the 49ers, his smile and dominance are what they chose to name first. For the Raiders. it was his time in Silver and Black. his respect among teammates. and the simple reality that a 36-year-old life is over. For his family, the public’s condolences are arriving faster than answers, and the waiting is the hardest part.
Aldon Smith San Francisco 49ers Las Vegas Raiders NFL death at 36 June 13 rookie season All-Pro Pro Bowl suspension reinstated May 2020 Dallas Cowboys 95.7 The Game