TMZ Sports is reporting that former NFL defensive lineman Aldon Smith pleaded not guilty on Monday in his domestic violence case stemming from an alleged altercation with his fiancée on March 3. Smith made a brief appearance in San Francisco Superior Court to face the charges. He was told to not make any contact with the woman.
When Smith turned himself in back in March, he was given four misdemeanor charges for domestic violence, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment, and vandalism. He was released hours later after posting his $30,000 bail. The Oakland Raiders cut him after learning about the incident. Smith was already suspended under the league’s substance abuse policy, and hasn’t played in a game since November 2015. His latest brush with the law only means that the odds of him ever playing again are slim to none.
Smith was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers with the seventh overall pick in 2011. His stock was at an all-time high following the 2012 campaign where he had 19.5 sacks. Around that time, Smith had the first of what would become many legal issues. The off-the-field problems impacted his play on the gridiron, and ultimately led to the decline of his NFL career.
