NFL: Dallas Cowboys Aldon Smith Reinstated After Being Off The Field Since 2015

It has been an eventful ride for Aldon Smith as the former Pro-Bowler has finally been granted conditional reinstatement ever since being off the field back in 2015.

The career of Smith has had its share of ups and downs ever since he was selected seventh in the 2011 NFL draft. The defensive end was picked by the San Francisco 49ers and served significant contributions to the team. One of his highlights with the 49ers includes being named one of the better defensive rookies of that time. In addition to this, he was also able to break through with a First-Team All-Pro selection back in 2012.

It was a great start for Smith in his NFL career as he racked up 33.5 sacks in his first three seasons. This includes a 19.5-sack season during the 49ers stint to the Super Bowl in 2012.

The former First-Team Freshman All-American then continued his career with the Oakland Raiders in 2015. Despite being a strong defensive force in the league, Smith had multiple encounters with off-field and legal issues.

This constant violation of the league’s personal conduct and substance abuse policies resulted in a one-year suspension and has not been granted reinstatement ever since.

Despite all of these, the Cowboys took their chance on Smith and offered him a one-year deal worth up to $4 million. The news of signing Smith to a deal shows a big step for him as he’s endured so much in the past few years.

“Life is good. I’m thankful. I’m blessed. I’m a Cowboy,” Smith wrote on his Instagram page.

This move is one of the many acquisitions the Cowboys have made this offseason. Other than Smith, the Cowboys also picked up veteran quarterback Andy Dalton to serve as Dak Prescott’s backup. Dallas also spearheaded the draft by getting away with top prospect CeeDee Lamb as the 17th overall pick.

The reinstatement of Smith shows his improvement and rehabilitation from his troubles. It will only be a matter of time before the league sees what he can do for the much-anticipated Dallas Cowboys.