Missouri Tigers: The Future Of Aldon Smith Is Unclear

It’s very likely that former Missouri Tigers linebacker Aldon Smith will never play a game in the NFL again. Smith was released by the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, after he was charged with DUI, vandalism and a hit and run. This wasn’t the first time Smith had found himself in trouble with the law.

This was Smith’s fifth encounter in the past three years, a troubling sign that most teams don’t like to see. The 49ers stood behind Smith through his troubles, which resulted in a nine-game suspension for him last year.

The 49ers are still supporting Smith even after his release, as Head Coach Jim Tomsula and General Manager David Baalke have spent plenty of time speaking with Smith. According to David Fucillo of SB Nation, Baalke has built a strong personal relationship with Smith, and has made it clear that football has been pushed to the back burner for now. The immediate focus for the 49ers and Smith is to help him in his personal life. Baalke had this to say per the article,

"“This isn’t about football. Everyone wants to make this about football. This has nothing to do with football right now. It has everything to do with a human being and a quality, quality person. But he’s made some mistakes.”"

In his four-year career in the NFL, Smith has been a relatively strong defensive force. He has 152 tackles, 44 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He’s a quick, strong pass rusher that plenty of teams could afford, but they would be taking quite the risk.

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It’s doubtful that Smith will return to football anytime soon, as this recent incident will most likely result in a lengthy suspension. Although there are reports that the Seattle Seahawks are interested in Smith from Inquisitr, he probably wouldn’t see any playing time this season.

While a team could acquire Smith for a fairly cheap price considering his current situation, he would not be able to make an immediate impact. There is also the possibility that Smith could run into more trouble in the future.

One can only hope that with the support from the 49ers and Smith’s family, he is able to recover from this situation. Smith has the potential to be a big-time pass rusher, but can only do that if he is able to control his off-field issues. It appears as though he has a strong support system surrounding him, which is very encouraging.

Gary Pinkel, Smith’s former head coach at Mizzou, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he was heartbroken to hear about Smith’s arrest. In his time with the Missouri Tigers, Smith had no discipline problems, according to Pinkel.

"“Aldon, he’s part of our family. I’m going to get a hold of him this week. We feel for him. I want him to get healthy again and get back going. Obviously, it breaks my heart when I hear something like that. I’m praying for him and hopefully he can get some help to get better.”"

For now, Smith’s focus should be to climb out of what seems to his rock bottom, and find himself as both a person and a player. On the surface it appears that Smith’s time in the NFL is over, but hopefully the 49ers can help him find his way back to success.

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