Last week ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the deadline was to be Friday (yesterday) for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to notify Aldon Smith if and when he was to be reinstated from his one-year suspension. That didn’t happen.
Instead we have now hit 15 days since his initial suspension for a third violation of the league’s substance abuse policy was up on November 17.
Reggie McKenzie spoke with a group of local beat writers on Thursday, and suggested the wait would continue past the supposed deadline, but still holds out hope Smith’s reinstatement will happen this season.
“Those guys [the NFL] will let us know in due time,” said McKenzie. “I’m sure they’re in communication with each other with that, but they don’t fill us in on anything in that process… We’re going to go through the proper channels, and see where he’s at physically, and mentally, and all of that, so to totally discount this year, no, we wouldn’t do that.”
Sunday will mark the third game that has passed since Smith was initially eligible for reinstatement.
Based on previous instances such as this, it wouldn’t surprise me if Goodell is thinking Smith should miss out on four additional games on top of his one year ban, due to the questionable video that came out last June that appeared to be Smith with a large rolled joint and his subsequent trip to rehab stint.
If that is the case, Smith would miss the team’s crucial game next Thursday night in Kansas City which could carry enormous division and playoff implications.
The Chiefs are a game back of the Raiders in the AFC West and represent one of their the Raiders’ two losses this season. It sure would help to have another pass rusher in the lineup.
With the short week next week, we should know within a few days if Smith will be back or if another game will pass without his services.
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