Aldon Smith's family seeks answers, investigating possible CTE link after former NFL star's death

Former NFL pass rusher Aldon Smith’s family is looking for answers after his sudden death at the age of 36.

According to ESPN, the family has decided to send Smith’s brain to medical experts in Boston for testing to determine whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) may have played a role in his death.

The move comes as attorneys hired by the family continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding what happened. No official cause of death has been announced.

In a statement shared by ESPN, attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall said: “As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon’s passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it.”

The attorneys also said that Smith’s brain would be examined for CTE “as well as other damage caused by years of concussions and additional trauma. ”

Reports indicated that Smith was found inside a friend’s Chevy pickup truck. While many questions remain unanswered, the family hopes the medical examination will provide more clarity.

Aldon Smith’s family investigates possible CTE link as questions remain about former NFL star’s death

The latest development has brought renewed attention to Smith’s football career and the challenges he faced away from the field.

Selected seventh overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2011 NFL Draft, Smith made an immediate impact. He recorded 14 sacks during his rookie season and followed it with 19.5 sacks in 2012, setting a franchise record that still stands today.

At a young age, he was viewed as one of the league’s brightest defensive talents. However, his career later became overshadowed by personal and legal issues. Smith faced multiple arrests and several NFL suspensions related to violations of the league’s substance abuse and personal conduct policies.

Those setbacks eventually kept him out of football for four seasons before he returned briefly with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.

Yet people close to Smith also spoke about the positive work he was doing in recent years. ESPN reported that just hours before his death, Smith was helping deliver pizzas for a charity that serves homeless people. He had also created a mentorship program called “I.M. Loading,” which aimed to help young athletes deal with challenges similar to those he experienced.

The family’s decision to explore a possible CTE connection reflects a larger issue that has affected many former football players. CTE is a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma and can only be diagnosed after death. Researchers have connected it to memory problems, mood changes, depression, impulsive behavior and other serious symptoms.

Several former NFL players were later found to have CTE, including Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau and former player Aaron Hernandez. Researchers who studied their brains found significant damage linked to the disease.

For now, Smith’s family continues to wait for answers as medical experts carry out further testing.