A recent interview has emergedof Aldon Smith, a former NFL defensive end who died suddenly on Saturday.
A fairly short clip has been posted in several spots. It’s worth watching the whole interview.
Here’s part one. Part two. And part three. In all, it’s less than 30 minutes.
The interview was posted last week by Tee Maultsby, a barber who has filmed a series of videos of athletes getting haircuts. Smith provides a raw and authentic look at his life after football, which included door-to-door sales in the Texas heat while he was “broke” and wearing an ankle monitor.
A friend found Smith slumped an unresponsive in the friend’s truck, after they had delivered pizzas to a homeless shelter.
Smith makes it clear from the start that he’s struggling. Maultsby does a very good job of giving Smith space to talk through it.
No cause of death has been identified for Smith, who was only 36. He was a dominant player early for the 49ers in his career. Off-field issues derailed his career.
He persisted, returning to the NFL with the Cowboys, nine years after he was drafted. He started all 16 games in his final season.
