Aldon Smith is out of treatment center
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith is now out of a substance abuse treatment center and met with team officials on Wednesday, coach Jim Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh told San Francisco radio station 95.7 The game that the 24-year-old Smith 'looks great.' Smith went into treatment for substance abuse on Sept. 23 -- three days after his second drunk driving arrest since entering the NFL in 2011.
'I met with him face-to-face today,' Harbaugh told the radio station Wednesday. 'Aldon was in the building ... it was great to see the reaction of others who saw him and Aldon's reaction of being back here with some of the guys. He looks great, and we're having a good day. I mean that was the object of today, let's have a great day. I think that's the way Aldon's approaching things, each day too ... the goal to have a great day.'
With that approach, Harbaugh declined to put a timeline on Smith's return. The 49ers are 5-0 since Smith -- who had an NFL leading 38.5 sacks since 2011 -- has been out.
'I think the prudent thing to do is look at it day-to-day and have a goal of having a great day,' Harbaugh said. 'He's been taking that approach, really over the last five weeks. And it's served him well and he's made quite a bit of progress. So, I don't see any reason to change that, and now flip a switch and start saying 'This needs to take place next week, and this the next week and let's predict how it's going to be three, or four, or five weeks from now.' Why would we do that when the other process is going so well?'
San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke said last week that he is hopeful that Smith plays this season, but the team wants to see 'progress' from their young linebacker. If I had to guess, I'd think Smith will remain around the team and begin the football process as long as his off-field work is going well.
As expected, NBC Bay Area reported Smith surrendered himself on Tuesday and then made bail on felony weapon charges stemming from a June, 2012 party at his house. He goes to court Nov. 12 on those charges. Smith's first court appearance on the September drunk driving arrest is Nov. 4.
ESPN San Francisco 49ers reporter
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