CHALMETTE, La. — A Seattle Seahawks defensive end has surrendered to authorities in St. Bernard Parish after a warrant was issued for his arrest on second-degree battery charges.
St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputies responding to a call for medical assistance in Meraux on Saturday evening found a man who said he had been assaulted by an acquaintance outside a business in Chalmette, Sheriff James Pohlmann said. Detectives identified the suspect as Aldon Smith, 31, and took out a warrant for second-degree battery.
The incident took place just two days after Smith signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks.
The sheriff’s office booked Smith on Tuesday. Booking records show he was later released.
Smith's off-field troubles are lengthy and include four full seasons out of the league due to suspensions. Smith was reinstated by the NFL last spring after signing a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. He had not played in the NFL since 2015.
Smith appeared in 16 games last season for Dallas and had 48 tackles and five sacks.
He attended the University of Missouri and was drafted seventh overall by San Francisco in 2011, recording 14 sacks as a rookie. He was an All-Pro in 2012 when he had 19 1/2 sacks and the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. He had 44 sacks in 50 games during his first four NFL seasons in San Francisco.
Smith had several legal issues as a player with San Francisco and Oakland. He was first suspended with the 49ers in 2014 before receiving a one-year ban in November 2015 with the Raiders. Smith applied for reinstatement to the NFL in 2016, but that decision was initially deferred.
Oakland retained Smith’s contractual rights before releasing him in 2018 after San Francisco police issued a warrant for his arrest in a domestic violence case.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
