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Days before his sudden death at 36, Aldon Smith gave a candid interview that now offers possible insight as investigators seek answers.

A week before his sudden death at age 36, former NFL star Aldon Smith sat for a haunting interview that is now drawing attention as investigators work to determine what happened.

The former San Francisco 49ers pass rusher spoke openly about personal struggles, gratitude and an uncertain future — candid comments that take on new significance following his unexpected death and offer new context about challenges Smith said he was facing in the days before he died.

Smith’s Final Interview Reveals Struggle Before His Death

Smith sat down with barber and content creator Tee Maultsby for Maultsby’s Laced Up YouTube series — candid conversations filmed as Maultsby gives his subjects a haircut in a barbershop setting. The three-part interview, under 30 minutes total, was posted starting around June 8, according to Pro Football Talk founder Mike Florio.

The exchange opens with Maultsby asking Smith how he’s feeling. Smith’s answer now seems jarring.

“I’ve definitely had better days. I’ve definitely had better days,” Smith said.

When Maultsby pressed him to elaborate, Smith resisted, but ultimately continued.

“It’s 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,” Smith said. “But to be honest, I’m grateful. I’m in a place of gratitude right now. It’s been a tough week, but it’s been rewarding, and it’s starting to pay off.”

On returning to the Bay Area — where he played for both the 49ers and the Oakland Raiders before spending the 2020 season with the Cowboys — Smith called the experience “bittersweet.”

“I’ve gotten such a warm reception from people and places I’ve gone, but I don’t feel like I’m ready to be back here right now,” Smith said in the barbershop interview. “This is like home. There are some things I wanted to have with me when I came back.”

Smith’s cause of death remains under investigation. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s office is investigating the cause and manner of death, with the manner listed as pending, according to a USA Today report on Monday.

Aldon Smith’s Last Day

In what turned out to be Smith’s final hours, the former All-Pro linebacker and a friend, Amir Shirazi, dropped off roughly 10 pizzas at CHAM Deliverance Ministry, a Bay Area organization that serves the homeless. Scott Wagers, the group’s co-founder, told the San Francisco Chronicle the visit was unexpected.

“My impression was that this is a young man that wanted to help the homeless, which was great,” Wagers said, as quoted by The Chronicle.

After the delivery, the two drove to Shirazi’s house. Shirazi stepped inside briefly and returned to find Smith slumped over in the front seat. Smith was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, according to NBC Sports. Shirazi told the San Francisco Chronicle he suspected natural causes but was not certain.

“He was perfectly fine an hour before,” Shirazi said, as quoted by NBC Sports. “I came out and he was basically dead in my front seat. I’m just in shock.”

Shirazi also described Smith as someone actively working to rebuild — consistent with a recent visit Smith made to the 49ers’ facility to address the team’s incoming rookies about following a better path.

Smith was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Missouri. His first two seasons with San Francisco were remarkable — 14 sacks as a rookie, then 19.5 in 2012 alongside a first-team All-Pro selection. Multiple arrests and NFL suspensions derailed a career widely viewed as Hall of Fame-caliber. He finished with 52.5 career sacks and died at 36, with the 49ers calling his passing “sudden and tragic” in a statement posted the day he died.