Six-year NFL veteran edge rusher Aldon Smith signed a one-year, contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Smith, a one-time All-Pro, spent the 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys but has also played for the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. Mike Garafolo first reported news of the signing.
Another one: The #Seahawks and Aldon Smith have agreed to terms on a one-year deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 15, 2021
Aldon Smith, Seattle Seahawks, Agree to Contract
Aldon Smith had one of the strangest voyages to the football field in 2020. After missing the past four seasons thanks to a combination of substance abuse, hit and run, and domestic violence charges, Smith applied for reinstatement prior to the start of the regular season. The NFL granted his request, and the former first-round pick signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
Despite not playing an NFL snap since 2015, Smith managed to start all 16 games for Dallas while recording five sacks, 48 tackles, and five tackles-for-loss while recovering two fumbles, including one for a touchdown. His best game of the season came when he recorded three sacks in a 38-31 Week 3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Smith initially entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Selected by the San Francisco 49ers, Smith spent the majority of his rookie season as a situational pass-rusher. However, he made the most of what playing time he had, as the Missouri product recorded 14.5 sacks despite never starting a game.
Smith earned a full-time role in 2012 and proved that he was one of the NFL’s elite pass-rushers. Starting all 16 games, the second-year pro recorded 19.5 sacks and 18 tackles-for-loss while earning First-Team All-Pro honors. He continued to dominate in the first month of 2013, recording 4.5 sacks in the first three games. However, Smith was arrested for driving under the influence and entered a rehab facility. While he came back later in the year, he never regained his starting job.
These off-field demons continued to plague him over the next few years, and the 49ers decided enough was enough after an alleged hit-and-run in 2015. In 2018, Smith pled guilty to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.
