It’s not every day that you see an NFL player on a wanted poster. The freshly-signed-by-the-Seahawks Aldon Smith is wanted for a second-degree battery from an incident that happened on the evening of April 17, 2021.
St. Bernard Parish District Attorney Perry Nicosia said Smith allegedly choked a victim unconscious during a confrontation that began inside a coffee house in Chalmette, Louisiana, and that the warrant was signed by the court a day later, according to ESPN.
Unfortunately, this is nowhere close to the first time the 31-year-old has had legal troubles. Smith was once on track to be one of the most dominant defenders in the game, being named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 after recording 19.5 sacks with the San Francisco 49ers. Since then, he has had a slew of legal issues, including multiple DUI and drug-related incidents, felony possession of an assault weapon, hit and run and vandalism, and domestic violence-related charges.
Smith was out of the NFL between 2016 and 2019 due to numerous suspensions and the litany of legal issues he was facing. Last year he was reinstated and signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. He was productive, registering 5.0 sacks and starting all 16 games.
Just two days before his latest alleged incident, which took place in the New Orleans area, Smith signed a one-year deal worth up to $4 million to join the pass rush-desperate Seattle Seahawks.
“We are aware of the reports regarding Aldon Smith. Aldon notified us and we are gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time,” the Seahawks said in a statement.