Aldon Smith spent his last day delivering pizzas to the homeless with a friend, then was found slumped in a truck outside his home

New details have emerged surrounding the death of former NFL star Aldon Smith, who was found unresponsive inside a truck before being pronounced dead on June 13, 2026. Smith was 36. The official cause and manner of death remain under investigation by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner Office.

Smith spent a portion of his final day with his friend, Amir Shirazi, delivering pizzas to a local homeless outreach organization in the Bay Area. As detailed by the San Francisco Chronicle, the two spent the day running errands together after completing their volunteer work, eventually returning to Shirazi’s home in Los Gatos.

Shirazi told the Chronicle that he had stepped inside his house briefly, and when he returned to the vehicle, he found Smith slumped over in the front passenger seat of a pickup truck. Initially believing his friend had fallen asleep, Shirazi quickly realized something was wrong. He contacted 911 and sought help from former 49ers running back Anthony Dixon, and the two men reportedly attempted lifesaving measures on Smith while waiting for emergency responders.

Smith leaves behind a historic mark on the 49ers franchise

Smith was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, where he was later pronounced dead. The San Francisco 49ers, who drafted Smith seventh overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, issued a statement saying the organization was “devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” and that his “infectious smile lit up every room he walked into.”

During his time with the 49ers, Smith appeared in 50 games and registered 152 tackles and 44.0 sacks. His 14.0-sack rookie season in 2011 stands as the second-most by a rookie in a single season in NFL history since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. He earned First-Team Associated Press All-Pro honors in 2012 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2013. Amid a week when NFL player safety concerns have drawn renewed attention from orthopedic experts, Smith’s passing adds to a somber moment for the league.

His 19.5 sacks in his second season remain the most in a single campaign in 49ers franchise history, and his 33.5 sacks through his first two seasons represent the most by any player in their first two years in the league. Before entering the NFL, Smith was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and the Defensive Lineman of the Year at the University of Missouri in 2010. Amid news of other former NFL players making headlines this week, including Tom Brady’s new business venture, the league’s attention has turned to mourning one of its more dominant pass rushers of the early 2010s.

In a video posted on June 12, 2026, the day before his death, Smith mentioned he had “had better days” when asked about his well-being, though he did not provide specific details. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances of his death.