Jerry Jones rolled the dice this offseason when he signed defensive end Aldon Smith to a one-year deal. The former 49er and Raider hadn’t seen any game action since Week 10 of the 2015 season, the last game Smith played in before being suspended indefinitely by the league.
Now the Dallas Cowboys’ gamble is one step closer to paying off in a big way. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has conditionally reinstated Smith, according to Jori Epstein of USA Today.
Smith is now eligible to participate in any team activities and is expected to virtually join the Cowboys beginning Tuesday when the club’s offseason program kicks off.
Smith, the seventh-overall pick by San Francisco in 2011’s draft, has accumulated 47.5 sacks in 59 games as a pro. He earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2012 and was named the team’s MVP. But the 2013 season saw Smith begin to spiral, with car accidents, DUI arrests, substance abuse, rehab stints, and suspensions putting Smith’s name in the headlines frequently.
The Mississippi native and University of Missouri product was released by the 49ers and subsequently picked up by Oakland in 2015. He played just nine games for the Raiders, until a hit-and-run episode earned him another suspension by the league. Smith sat out the 2016 and 2017 seasons as he waited for reinstatement. After an alleged domestic violence incident, the Raiders released Smith in March 2018.
In March 2020, Smith announced he was lobbying for a return to the league. The Cowboys signed him in April, with the front office believing that reinstatement was inevitable.
As per Epstein, “a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports” that Smith has stayed clean since last July.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Smith was unable to meet personally with Goodell to discuss his status; the pair reportedly met via videoconference late last week.
In an Instagram post last month, the 30-year-old Smith shared some insight into his journey.
“There is beauty in the struggle,” Smith wrote in his post. “Life will always present us [with] tests. I’ve learned how to take a different perspective on the adversities of life. Instead of looking at life as a victim, I have embraced the journey as God has planned it, making exponential strides toward becoming a better man.”
Smith had a chance meeting with new Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy back in December as the two were training at the same Los Angeles gym.
“He’s really prepared himself for this next opportunity,” McCarthy said. “Always admired him from afar, competing against him in the old days a few years back.”
Now both men are Dallas Cowboys, and the new coach is eager to get the new Aldon Smith back on the field in 2020.
“Very impressive young man. Looking forward to having him.”
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