NFL Star Aldon Smith Arrested for Fifth Time
San Francisco 49ers pass-rusher Aldon Smith is no stranger to legal trouble and was arrested again and jailed Thursday night, in Santa Clara, California. Last season he served a nine-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct and substance abuse policies; Smith is once again making headlines and not for exception plays. In a statement released by the Santa Clara Police Department on Twitter, it was announced Smith was arrested for a hit-and-run accident, driving under the influence and vandalism. It is not yet known if Smith has retained a criminal defense attorney for the matter.
Smith posted bail on Friday, and has publically apologized for the arrest. 49ers owner Jed York said “not yet” when asked if he had decided on Smith’s future with the team, per NFL Network’s Mike Silver. Smith was apparently succeeding in winning over the organization, as 49ers general manager Trent Baalke expressed a desire to re-sign him before next offseason, when he becomes a free agent, according to ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez: “He’s in his contract year. He’s poised to have a very good year. We expect him to have a very good year. I think he expects himself to have a very good year. We’re going to work hard to make sure that he remains here.”
Per ESPN’s Field Yates, Smith also recently collected a sizable roster bonus, which makes this situation even more disappointing for the Niners organization: Smith has proven that to be true when on the field, but after multiple issues—including his suspension last season and an arrest at an airport—he is quickly becoming a major distraction.
From San Francisco’s perspective, there couldn’t be a worse time for Smith’s playing status to be in jeopardy. Linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland retired earlier in the offseason, while Dan Skuta signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.