San Francisco 49ers fans were stunned and saddened to hear that former defensive lineman Aldon Smith passed away recently. There has been an outpouring of messages memorializing him, and legendary 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, who was teammates with Smith, shared a touching tribute on social media.
Here is part of what Willis wrote:
"That’s all any of us really want at the end of the day - to be free to be. Selfishly, we all wish you were still here with us, fighting the good fight of faith. I’ll tell you this - there was nothing like watching you get those sacks and then break out that dance, with that big, infectious smile radiating across the entire sideline, the crowd, and the whole squad. Man, what a sight. You brought an energy that couldn’t be contained and a joy that people were naturally drawn to."
It’s clear that Willis had a lot of love and affection for his former teammate, and 49ers fans who followed the team when they were on the field together remember just how incredible the defense was during those years.
Willis was arguably the best middle linebacker in the game in 2011 when Smith was drafted, and he was quickly looking like he was on his way to being one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. Smith had 14 sacks in 2011 and followed that up with 19.5 sacks in 2012.
Unfortunately, injuries and off-the-field issues derailed his career, but opposing teams had to have been so afraid going up against Willis and Smith, not to mention other defense stalwarts like NaVorro Bowman, Justin Smith, and others.
I truly became a die-hard Niners fans during those years under head coach Jim Harbaugh. That 2012 defense was the first one where I could name every single player and followed the team as close as possible. I may not be the 49ers fan I currently am if it weren’t for those teams making deep playoff runs, so I owe a lot to Smith and that entire team.
Obviously, Smith was more than just a football player. He had very well-documented issues off the field. Yet, one of his last acts was delivering pizzas to those in need, so he definitely did good deeds, and the good he did both on the football field and off it should be remembered along with the bad.
Willis was not the only former 49er from those years to comment on Smith’s passing. Anthony Dixon, a backup running back on those teams, was really close with Smith and also shared a very heartfelt message on social media.
It’s awful when someone passes away far too soon like Smith. We’re lucky he gave us such great memories as 49ers fans, and it’s clear the impact he had on teammates like Willis and Dixon who wrote such touching tributes.Â
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