The family of Aldon Smith has decided to send his brain to medical experts in Boston to see whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) played a role in the former NFL defensive lineman's death.
Smith died Saturday at the age of 36, hours after he had delivered pizzas to a homeless charity.
No cause of death has been given. Smith's family has hired attorneys to help investigate his death.
"As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon Smith's passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it," attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall said Tuesday in a statement. "To that end, we have taken a number of steps including sending his brain to Boston where medical experts will examine it for CTE as well as other damage caused by years of concussions and additional trauma.
"In the meantime, we simply ask you to keep Aldon's family in our prayers and respect their privacy as they struggle to come to grips with this terrible loss."