Former San Francisco 49ers linebacker and All-Pro Aldon Smith dies at age 36, the team announces. Multiple outlets report the 49ers made the announcement on Saturday night/Saturday, June 13. Smith is widely described as a former pass rusher who played for the 49ers after being selected seventh overall in the 2011 NFL draft out of the University of Missouri. Several sources note he held or was associated with notable sack-related benchmarks during his career, including record-setting early in his NFL career. At least one outlet says his death is sudden, while others emphasize that his playing career had been affected by legal issues. Coverage also indicates he has not been active in professional football since 2021, citing his time away from the league. No outlet included a confirmed cause of death in the provided reports; one publication explicitly states that no cause of death was given. Details surrounding the circumstances of his death are not provided in the sources summarized here.