The 49ers probably wish they could bubble-wrap Aldon Smith as soon as he leaves the field, and unwrap him the next week in time for games.
The outside linebacker was involved in another unusual and dangerous situation, as he was in a car that ended up on its side in a Friday night wreck.
According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Smith was a passenger in a car that swerved to avoid a deer, and flipped onto its side on a dirt embankment.
The California Highway Patrol said alcohol wasn’t involved in the wreck, but the unidentified driver was taken to a hospital with a “broken back,” and Smith had a cut over his eye that required stitches.
It didn’t hurt him on the field, as he played every defensive snap of Sunday’s win over the Loins, and had seven tackles and a sack.
But it’s just the latest chapter in what’s been a wild ride for Smith this year.
In June, Smith suffered minor stab wounds (and two people were shot) at a party at his home. There was also a DUI arrest in Miami Beach in January, though he qualified for a program to reduce those charges.
He’s an impact player when he’s on the field, but the 49ers have to hold their breath every time he walks out the door.