According to a police affidavit of Smith's arrest, an argument led to the 49ers linebacker hitting a neighbor's car - resulting in minor damage.
"I want everybody to understand this wasn't a DUI. The situation that happened could have been handled differently," said Smith in the interview as he left the jail.
After confirming the news, Tomsula said during the press conference that while he will no longer be with the 49ers, he will not have to walk this path alone.
"From our perspective, for him, there are things that need to be addressed with 100% of what he has. From the team perspective, that's the football. These are completely different and they don't mix," said Tomsula.
Tomsula was clearly emotional about Smith, saddened that he will no longer be with the team after working so hard and showing genuine concern for him as a person.
When asked if he thinks Smith would play football again, he said that "He has been turning his life around" and added that "People stumble." Tomsula stated that he hopes that Smith plays football again.
Tomsula stated that the media will not be able to meet with players until after today's practice, simply saying, "They're hurting."
Rohan Chakravarthi and Jessie Naylor break down Day 1 of the San Francisco 49ers OTAs that was available to media.
The audio for the show is embedded above, while the video is available below.
You can listen to "The Rohan Chakravarthi Show" from our dedicated podcast page, on
Kyle Shanahan feels "really fortunate" with 49ers' QB room
By David Bonilla
May 24
Kyle Shanahan praises his quarterback room every year. Last season, the San Francisco 49ers went through three starting quarterbacks and still made it to the NFC Championship Game. Trey Lance was the Week 1 starter but suffered a season-ending ankle injury during his second game. Eleven weeks later, Jimmy Garoppolo sustained a broken foot.
That opened the door for rookie Brock Purdy to show his coaches and the NFL world that he belonged, despite being the last overall pick in the draft. Purdy guided the 49ers to eight consecutive wins before suffering a severe injury in that NFC title game matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Two of the quarterbacks from last season—Lance and Purdy—remain. Both are just 23 years old. They are joined by Sam
The San Francisco 49ers entered the offseason with several questions after key figures, such as Jimmie Ward, Mike McGlinchey, Samson Ebukam, and Charles Omenihu, departed in free agency, creating the possibility for position battles in organized team activities(OTAs) and training camp.
While several of the starting spots are solidified, there are still a few position battles to watch, as well as depth questions that could allow younger players to compete and take 53-man roster spots at the end of the offseason.
Let's break down some of those battles to watch and how they could play out for the 49ers, outside of the obvious competition at
Podcast: Questions that need to be answered during 49ers OTAs
By Rohan Chakravarthi
May 24
Rohan Chakravarthi and Suneil discuss the quarterback competition and position battles to watch during the San Francisco 49ers' OTAs.
The audio for the show is embedded above, while the video is available below.
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You can listen to "The Rohan Chakravarthi Show" from our