NFL Suspends 49ers Linebacker Aldon Smith For Nine Games

After upholding the season-long suspension of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon earlier in the week, word has come down that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has been suspended nine games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct and substance abuse policies.

After his arrest last fall, Smith took a voluntary five-game leave to seek treatment at a substance abuse treatment center. Something that clearly didn’t impress commissioner Roger Goodell, who met with Smith the first week in August.

Niners general manager Trent Baalke issued a statement regarding the suspension on Friday.

“Our organization has known this decision would come, and we have prepared for it as a team,” Baalke said. “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.”

In July he was sentenced to 11 days of work release for a September 2013 DUI arrest. Since entering the league in 2011, Smith has been arrested twice for DUI and has had three felony gun charges reduced to misdemeanors.

Which is why the suspension is so lengthy. He’ll be eligible to return to the active roster on Nov. 10. With that timetable, he’ll lose more than half his $2.34 million base salary for 2014.