Aldon Smith’s appearance on celebrity barber Tee Maultsby’s YouTube channel days before his tragic death Saturday is taking on new significance, as the former 49ers star took on a reflective tone and stated he’s “had better days.” 

Smith, 36, was found slumped over in a friend’s car on Saturday, and was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose an hour later. 

Earlier this month, the former NFL defender had been on “Laced Up,” an interview series where Maultsby interviews guests while giving them a haircut, and seemed to indicate that he was dealing with something, but didn’t go into much detail. 

“I’ve definitely had better days,” he said at the start of the show. “It’s along the lines of something I think I’ve been dealing with my whole life, and I’m just struggling with accepting how it’s playing out right now. That sounds like a bunch of gibberish.” 

Smith did try to stear the conversation in a more positive direction, telling Maultsby that he’s “grateful” and “in a place of gratitude.” 

“It’s been a tough week. It’s been rewarding, and it’s starting to pay. Things are starting to happen,” he said.

Smith’s promising NFL career had been derailed by issues off the field, which included substance abuse issues and multiple arrests. 

He played six seasons in the NFL and was suspended for multiple seasons for various reasons. 

Smith was released by San Francisco after the 2014 season following several DUI arrests. He was also banned for nine games that season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. 

He played nine games for the Raiders in 2015 and then, following several suspensions, returned to the field in 2020, starting all 16 games for the Cowboys. 

Smith had 33.5 sacks during his first two seasons in the NFL. 

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Smith had been delivering pizzas to a homeless charity with a friend prior to his passing.