When Aldon Smith signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, the move was met with a blend of curiosity, hope, and caution. Here was a player who had once terrorized quarterbacks, a physical specimen with raw power and athleticism that made him one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. Yet, he was also a player haunted by demons, whose career had veered off course amid personal struggles and suspensions. For the Cowboys, a franchise always willing to take a calculated risk on talent, Aldon Smith represented not just a gamble but a narrative—a chance at redemption, a hope that past brilliance could be rediscovered under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium.
Smith’s journey to Dallas was not a typical free agency signing. It was, instead, the latest chapter in a complex and often turbulent story. Drafted seventh overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, Smith burst onto the scene like a tidal wave. In his rookie season, he racked up 14 sacks, a number that placed him among the league’s elite almost overnight. The following year, he posted an astounding 19.5 sacks, a performance that suggested he was not just a star in the making but perhaps a generational talent. His blend of speed, power, and instincts off the edge made him nearly unblockable. Offensive coordinators had to scheme specifically to account for him. He had all the tools to be the NFL’s next great defensive cornerstone.
But the trajectory of his career was not linear. Legal troubles and substance abuse issues quickly derailed what looked like a Hall of Fame path. Between 2013 and 2015, Smith faced a series of arrests, including charges related to DUIs, weapons possession, and domestic incidents. His off-field issues led to multiple suspensions and eventually his release from the 49ers. A short-lived stint with the Oakland Raiders followed, but after being suspended indefinitely in 2016, Smith found himself out of the league. For nearly five years, he did not play a single snap in the NFL. In the fast-paced world of professional football, five years is an eternity. For many, Smith had disappeared into the margins of “what could have been.”
Then came the surprising announcement in March 2020: Aldon Smith had signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. It was a low-risk, high-reward move by the Cowboys, a team that has historically never shied away from controversial signings if there’s talent involved. What made the situation compelling was not just Smith’s past, but the unprecedented nature of his absence. Players simply don’t return to the NFL after five years away—especially not defensive linemen, who depend on explosiveness, timing, and relentless conditioning. Smith wasn’t just trying to make a comeback; he was trying to rewrite the rules of what a comeback could be.
From the beginning, Cowboys leadership expressed belief in Smith’s ability to make the most of his second chance. Head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan praised his work ethic during training camp. By all accounts, Smith arrived in incredible physical shape, having transformed both his body and his mindset during his time away. He spoke candidly about his struggles, about the therapy and personal growth he had undergone. His signing wasn’t just about football—it was about a man attempting to rebuild his life and career from the ground up.
When the 2020 season began, it didn’t take long for Smith to make an impact. In the Cowboys’ season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, he recorded 11 tackles and a sack. His burst off the edge was still there. His instincts hadn’t dulled. Just weeks later, in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, Smith exploded for three sacks on Russell Wilson, reminding the football world of the chaos he could cause. Through the first month of the season, he led the team in sacks, and his presence brought much-needed energy to a Dallas defense that otherwise struggled with consistency and cohesion.
For the Cowboys, Smith’s resurgence was a silver lining in a season marked by adversity. The team dealt with injuries, particularly to quarterback Dak Prescott, and failed to meet preseason expectations. But Smith’s performance became one of the most talked-about stories in the league. Media outlets highlighted his comeback, and teammates spoke highly of his professionalism and quiet leadership. In a locker room that faced challenges and criticism, Smith’s journey became a point of pride. He was the embodiment of perseverance, a player who had walked through darkness and returned with something to prove.
Yet as the season wore on, the magic of Smith’s comeback began to wane. His production dipped, and the Cowboys’ defense continued to struggle. Despite his early dominance, Smith finished the season with 5 sacks, all of which came in the first half of the year. He was still a valuable player, logging over 700 defensive snaps, but the wear and tear of a full NFL season after such a long layoff began to show. His impact plays decreased, and his role began to diminish as younger players earned more snaps. By season’s end, the question of whether the Cowboys would re-sign him for another year loomed large.
Ultimately, Dallas chose not to bring Smith back. In April 2021, he signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks, but his tenure there never took off. He was released before playing a regular-season game, following another off-field incident that once again raised questions about his ability to stay on the right path. The dream of a sustained second act in the NFL began to fade. While Smith’s 2020 season with the Cowboys had moments of brilliance, it also became a sobering reminder of the fragile line between redemption and relapse.
The Aldon Smith experiment in Dallas was, in many ways, emblematic of the team’s broader philosophy. The Cowboys are a franchise built on bold moves and marquee names. They have always operated on the belief that talent can transcend trouble, that risk can be justified if the reward is great enough. In Smith’s case, they were right—at least for a while. He gave them moments of elite pass-rushing ability, leadership, and a compelling human story that resonated far beyond the field. But the consistency needed to build around him never fully materialized.
For Smith, his year in Dallas stands as a complex and deeply human chapter in a career full of contradictions. It was a season of proof—proof that he could still play, that he could still matter, that he wasn’t done. But it was also a reminder of the limits of physical ability when placed against the weight of internal battles. His story inspired many, and rightfully so. He fought to reclaim not just his career but his identity, and for a time, he succeeded.
The legacy of Aldon Smith’s time with the Dallas Cowboys will not be measured in sacks alone. It will be measured in the power of resilience and the cost of potential left unfulfilled. Cowboys fans will remember the way he roared back onto the scene in 2020, the promise he showed, and the way his presence offered hope during a difficult season. But they will also remember the silence that followed—the lingering question of what might have been if circumstances had aligned differently.
Aldon Smith’s NFL story may still not be entirely over. But for now, his time in Dallas serves as a symbol of both revival and reality. In a league that celebrates comebacks and champions redemption, his name remains one of the most compelling in recent memory. He reminded us that talent is enduring but that time, discipline, and inner peace are what ultimately define the course of a career. For one season, under the silver star of Dallas, Aldon Smith returned—and for a moment, everything seemed possible again.
