Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith suspended 1 year by NFL

ByABC News
November 17, 2015, 5:55 PM

— -- Oakland Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith has been suspended for one year without pay under the NFL's substance-abuse policy, the league said Tuesday.

In September, Smith, 25, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run, drunken driving and vandalism, charges that stem from an alleged Aug. 6 incident. 

"Under the terms of the policy, Smith will be eligible to apply for reinstatement no sooner than 60 days before the one-year anniversary of the suspension," the NFL said in a statement.

The pass rush-needy Raiders signed Smith to a one-year deal on the same day charges were announced in the wake of Smith's fifth arrest since 2012.

He was released by the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 7. 

Smith's one-year deal with the Raiders contained a $1.25 million base salary, though Smith could have earned up to $8 million, a source told ESPN when he signed. The contract included a $250,000 per-game roster bonus and a $2.75 million bonus if he recorded at least 10 sacks.

In a separate incident, Smith was arrested April 13, 2014, at Los Angeles International Airport. Police said Smith was randomly selected for a secondary screening, became uncooperative with the process and told a TSA agent he had a bomb. No charges were filed.

During the 2014 season, Smith received a nine-game suspension for what the league called violations of its policies on substance abuse and personal conduct. Smith spent a month in treatment during the 2013 season.

There were plenty of football-related reasons for Oakland to sign Smith.

Smith was second on the team with 3.5 sacks this season and tied with Khalil Mack for most QB hits, with eight. Smith had played 78 percent of the Raiders' snaps, which ranked fifth among the team's defenders.

The Raiders had just 22 sacks last season, tied for second-fewest in the NFL. Smith has 47.5 sacks in 59 regular-season NFL games.

Information from ESPN's Field Yates, Bill Williamson and Adam Caplan, ESPN's Stats & Information and The Associated Press was used in this report.