In November of 2015, Aldon Smith was handed a one-year suspension by the National Football League for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. A year later, the linebacker has applied for reinstatement.
Smith’s suspension ends on November 17th, and when it’s over, the linebacker wants another shot at the NFL as evidenced by his application for reinstatement. The linebacker is out of rehab and is working out now to make a contribution to the Raiders this year.
The 27-year-old can work as hard as he wants, but his reinstatement depends on many factors, one of which is a meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“Aldon is doing well,” Raiders’ General Manager Reggie McKenzie said Wednesday. “That situation is going to be totally up to the league because he’s been in the program and they’ve monitored him. It’s up to Goodell to say yah, nay or when. And he could say no to everything … that part is out of our hands.
“The league will take everything into consideration and Aldon will have to meet with Goodell at some point.”
What makes that quote tricky is the Raiders aren’t allowed to speak directly with Smith during the suspension. As a result, that information reached McKenzie through a middle man. In this case, the middle man was Smith’s agent Doug Hendrickson.
“Aldon is working out and getting ready,” McKenzie said. “He is in a great place and that’s the main thing. Whether Goodell lets him out or not, that’s the important thing – that he’s healthy and happy. But I would hope that we as a league reward a guy – with stipulations – who goes through the right steps and wants to get better and get his life in order.’
Despite being suspended last November, Smith didn’t enter rehab until July after a video on social media raised questions about if he violated the drug conduct policy again. The video showed a man smoking marijuana that was believed to be Smith, although he denied that it was him.
July wasn’t the first time Smith was in rehab. Way back in 2013, the linebacker went to rehab after two DUI arrests. Smith returned to rehab again in 2014 while serving a nine-game suspension.
If Smith plays at all in 2016, it’ll be his second season with the Raiders. The linebacker signed a deal with Oakland before the 2015 season after he played for the cross-bay San Francisco 49ers for the first four years of his career.
The 49ers initially split ways with Smith and released him after he was arrested for the fifth time in his career in August 2015. The arrest resulted in Smith being charged with hit and run, a DUI, and vandalism. Despite the three charges, the Raiders still signed him.
[SF Gate]
