San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith is one week away from returning from a nine-game suspension received from violations of the personal conduct policy and the substance abuse policy, but when he does return he will have to pay to play, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Aldon Smith owes 49ers $661K, according to report
Aldon Smith forfeited his prorated signing bonus by getting suspended and now he owes the 49ers more money than he’ll make in 2014.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Smith, 25, is still playing on the four-year, $14.4 million contract he signed with the 49ers after he was chosen with the seventh overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft. As per the contract, Smith was due $2,336,454 for the 2014 season, but because of the suspension, the outside linebacker forfeited more than half of that money and owes the 49ers his $1.18 million prorated signing bonus for the 2014 season.
With $1.18 million owed to the 49ers, Smith will have to pay the team all of his $1.099 million base salary for the 2014 season. Due to taxes though, Smith will receive just $525,000 of that base salary which will go directly to the 49ers, leaving an additional $661,000 owed to the 49ers.
Shortly after the news broke that Smith would have to “pay to play” in 2014, Smith chimed in on Twitter, although it’s not 100 percent clear if it’s his situation with the 49ers that motivated the tweet:
It's sad when people wrong you, then try to justify it with more BS!!!
— Aldon Smith (@AldonSmith) November 9, 2014 Smith was a first-team All-Pro in 2012 when he set a franchise record by accumulating 19.5 sacks for the 49ers. He has 42 career sacks in 43 games and 24 starts. Smith is due to make $9.75 million in 2015 and is set to become a free agent in the 2016 offseason.
See More:
