Aldon Smith is back.
Smith signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys on April 1, but still had to be reinstated by the NFL to play this season. The former 49ers and Raiders edge rusher officially was reinstated Wednesday, according to multiple reports. ESPN's Ed Werder was first to report the news.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The 49ers selected Smith with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he immediately became a star. He recorded 14 sacks as a rookie and 33.5 in his first two seasons (32 games) in San Francisco. Smith's 44 sacks still rank sixth overall in 49ers history, and he did so in only 50 games.
But Smith's career took a dive by multiple run-ins with the law and off-field issues. He last played in the NFL when he had 3.5 sacks for the Raiders in 2015.
Smith believes his return to the NFL will give him a chance to help others.
"I believe that with the platform that the NFL gives players,” Smith told FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer after signing with the Cowboys, “and particularly me with the things that I've gone through and things I've learned, that it would give me the chance to help out others. So it's not just deserving a shot to play, but it's deserving a shot to use that platform so I can help out other people.
San Francisco 49ers
"And that's why I'm so grateful for this opportunity."
[RELATED: Why Aldon Smith not labeling self as 'victim' is a great sign]
Smith now is 30 years old and turns 31 in September. He hasn't played in an NFL game since November 2015.
The former 49ers star now is back, though, and is looking to prove himself once again in multiple ways.