Abbie Parr/Getty Images
Former NFL star Aldon Smith has been sentenced to 12 months in jail and five years of supervised probation, after pleading no contest to a felony DUI charge stemming from a 2021 incident in Redwood City.
Smith was remanded into custody after the hearing and will begin serving his year-long sentence immediately, authorities tell TMZ.
Smith’s legal troubles have overshadowed his impressive football career, which includes stints with the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Oakland Raiders. Despite his talent on the field, his off-field behavior has led to numerous suspensions and legal issues, ultimately leading to seemingly the end of his NFL career.
Smith was initially arrested on Dec. 6, 2021, after allegedly rear-ending a truck. Smith appeared intoxicated and had marijuana in his pocket, as well as empty bottles of vodka in his car, according to police. The person he hit suffered injuries to their, knee, back, wrist, leg and foot during the crash.
Smith started his NFL career with an impressive pace, recording 14.5 sacks as a rookie, setting the record for most such by a first-year player. He then topped it with 19 sacks in his second year, earning All-Pro and Pro-Bowler honors. However, his career began to take a downturn in 2013, and he hasn’t recorded double digits in sacks since 2012. His legal issues and suspensions took a toll on his career.
This is not the first time Smith has been in trouble with the law. He has a lengthy history of legal issues, including multiple DUI arrests, domestic violence charges, and weapons charges. In 2018, he was arrested for violating a restraining order and in 2019, he was arrested for DUI in Kansas.
The sentence should end any hope of returning to the league for Smith’s playing career, as he’ll be four-years removed from his last NFL game, and will be approaching the age of 35.