Roger Goodell is continuing his streak of suspensions and has now banned San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith for the first nine games of the 2014 season for violating the league's substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies.
It came to a point earlier this year when rumors surfaced that the 49ers weren't going to pick up Smith's option for 2015 because they were bracing for the worst with his impending suspension and no longer wanted to tolerate his poor off-field choices. That obviously didn't happen because Smith is too big a talent to let walk away, but now they'll be dealing with his behavior issues for another full season.
Smith will miss games against the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams (twice), Denver Broncos, and New Orleans Saints. The first half of the schedule is awfully tough and Smith's presence will be missed, but they face Seattle twice and Arizona in the second half of the season, which will be crucial matchups he'll be back for.
Smith ran into a number of issues within the past year, most notably in 2013 when he entered a substance-abuse treatment center and missed five games. The decision to do so followed a DUI arrest (his second with the 49ers) last September, which Smith was recently sentenced for (11 days of work release in the sheriff's office work program). Smith also managed to have three felony gun charges reduced to misdemeanors in the same ruling. He faced a maximum sentence of four years and four months in prison.
But despite his off the field issues, Smith has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL since being drafted in 2011. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the 24-year-old has 42 sacks since 2011 - the second most in the league just behind Jared Allen (45.5) and on the same list as Robert Mathis (37), DeMarcus Ware (37) and J.J. Watt (36.5).
Smith will lose approximately $1.24 million of his $2.34 million salary for 2014 and the 49ers will be without him and star middle linebacker Navarro Bowman for some time.
You can read more about Smith's suspension in this ESPN article.
