Aldon Smith's family donating his brain to CTE research as attorneys investigate death

Aldon Smith's encephalon volition beryllium donated by his household to the Boston University CTE Center pursuing his untimely decease implicit the weekend.

The erstwhile NFL antiaircraft lineman was 36 erstwhile helium was recovered unresponsive successful the rider spot of a friend's car pursuing a time of delivering nutrient to a stateless shelter.

No origin of decease was given, but Smith's household has hired attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall to analyse Smith's death.

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San Francisco 49ers Aldon Smith runs during signifier astatine the 49ers grooming installation successful Santa Clara, connected Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014. (LiPo Ching/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images)

"As with anyone who dies truthful abruptly astatine specified a young age, we recognize that determination is simply a large woody of involvement successful and speculation astir Aldon Smith’s passing and we mean to get to the bottommost of it," the attorneys said successful a connection released Tuesday. "To that end, we person taken a fig of steps including sending his encephalon to Boston wherever aesculapian experts volition analyse it for CTE arsenic good arsenic different harm caused by years of concussions and further trauma.

"In the meantime we simply inquire you to support Aldon’s household successful our prayers and respect their privateness arsenic they conflict to travel to grips with this unspeakable loss."

Just hours earlier helium was recovered unresponsive, Smith unexpectedly dropped disconnected 10 pizzas astatine CHAM Deliverance Ministry, a San Jose, California, foundation that feeds the homeless.

After dropping disconnected the pizzas, his person Amir Shirazi drove them to a market store and past backmost to his home. He told the San Francisco Chronicle that helium rapidly ran wrong to crook connected immoderate lights, and erstwhile helium returned to the car, Smith was slumped implicit successful his seat.

"I came retired and helium was fundamentally dormant successful my beforehand seat," Shirazi said. "I’m conscionable successful shock."

San Francisco 49ers extracurricular linebacker Aldon Smith (99) anterior to a NFL crippled betwixt the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants astatine MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, NJ The 49ers defeated the Giants 16-10 (Photo by Rich Kane/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) ((Rich Kane/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))

FORMER NFL PASS RUSHER ALDON SMITH'S LAST ACT BEFORE HIS DEATH WAS DONATING FOOD FOR THE HOMELESS

Smith was drafted seventh wide successful the 2011 NFL Draft retired of Missouri and made an contiguous interaction arsenic a rookie, picking up 14.0 sacks and forcing 2 fumbles successful 16 games. The adjacent year, helium acceptable a San Francisco 49ers' franchise grounds with 19.5 sacks and was named a first-team All-Pro portion starring the squad to Super Bowl XLVII.

Smith reached 30 vocation sacks successful conscionable 27 games, making him the fastest subordinate successful NFL past to bash so, breaking a grounds antecedently held by Hall of Famer Reggie White.

In 2013, Smith voluntarily entered rehab and missed 5 games. In 2014, helium served a nine-game suspension for violations of the NFL's substance maltreatment and idiosyncratic behaviour policies.

The pursuing year, the 49ers released Smith successful August pursuing his 3rd DUI apprehension earlier helium was signed weeks aboriginal by the Oakland Raiders.

Smith remained indefinitely suspended from the NFL for 4 afloat seasons portion dealing with ineligible and idiosyncratic troubles. He returned successful 2020 and played a afloat play with the Dallas Cowboys, starting each 16 games.

He signed with Seattle the adjacent play but was arrested again connected a artillery complaint and was released successful grooming camp. He served a six-month jailhouse condemnation for DUI successful 2023 and ne'er played again successful the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers Aldon Smith runs disconnected the tract aft sacking St. Louis Rams backmost A.J. Feeley connected 4th down successful the 4th fourth astatine Candlestick Park successful San Francisco, California, connected Dec. 4, 2011. (Nhat V. Meyer/MediaNews Group)

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Smith finished his vocation with 52.5 sacks successful 75 games.

Outkick's Mark Harris and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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