To nobody’s surprise, the Oakland Raiders officially released linebacker Aldon Smith on Monday after an alleged domestic violence incident, which included him fleeing the scene.
Following news of the release, Jack Del Rio — who coached Smith in Oakland — lashed out at the league for its rules.
https://twitter.com/coachdelrio/status/970764726895632386
There’s no real surprise that the former Raiders’ coach is speaking out. He expressed similar frustration nearly a year ago, well before Smith’s most recent incidents.
While Smith was officially employed with the Raiders from 2015-2017, he had essentially no contact with the organization in 2016 and 2017. He was suspended and, excluding the director of player engagement, wasn’t permitted to contact with anyone involved with the organization until he was reinstated — which never happened.
Clearly, Del Rio believes that Smith’s situation might be vastly different if he had more support from the organization, rather than being isolated.