49ers lose Aldon Smith for 9 games

ByABC News
August 29, 2014, 4:12 PM

— -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has been suspended for the first nine games of the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct and substance abuse policies.

The All-Pro's suspension broke down into four games for violations of the substance abuse policy and five games for violations of the personal conduct policy, a league source told ESPN's Ed Werder. Smith will be allowed to be in the team's facility for meetings while under suspension, according to ESPN sources and multiple reports.

He will be eligible to return to the 49ers' active roster Nov. 10 following the team's Nov. 9 game against New Orleans.

"Our organization has known this decision would come, and we have prepared for it as a team," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement Friday." Aldon has taken responsibility for his actions and has continued to show growth personally and professionally. We will continue to support him, but it is time to put this matter behind us and focus on the season ahead."

Based on the length of the suspension, Smith will lose $1.24 million of his $2.34 million salary, ESPN business analyst Andrew Brandt reports. 

Smith, who met with commissioner Roger Goodell the first week of August, was sentenced in July to 11 days of work release in a Santa Clara County (Calif.) court after his September 2013 arrest for drunken driving. It was his second such arrest since entering the NFL in 2011. Also, Smith had three felony gun charges knocked down to misdemeanors.

Smith voluntarily missed five games last season when he entered a substance-abuse treatment center. In October, in London, Goodell told reporters Smith's aggressive approach to his problem could be considered when potential discipline was addressed, however it did not ultimately impact his punishment, a source told Werder.

Smith will return for a Nov. 16 game against the New York Giants. He will eligible for both games the 49ers have scheduled against division rival and defending Super Bowl champion Seattle -- Week 13 at home and Week 15 on the road.

Information from ESPN.com Raiders reporter Bill Williamson was included in this report.