Santa Clara, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The San Francisco 49ers will have All- Pro linebacker Aldon Smith on the field for the first time this season on Sunday.
Smith finished serving his nine-game suspension stemming from a series of off- the-field incidents, and the Niners added him to their 53-man roster for their Week 11 tilt against the New York Giants.
In August, the NFL penalized Smith for violations of both the substance-abuse policy and personal conduct policy. In July, Smith was sentenced to 11 days in jail and three years' probation on weapons and DUI charges.
Since being selected with the seventh overall pick of the 2011 draft, Smith has been one of the league's elite pass rushers. He has 42 sacks in just three seasons, but also numerous run-ins with the law.
Smith voluntarily took a leave of absence from the 49ers last year to seek help for a substance-abuse problem, missing five games.
To make room on the roster, the club placed rookie defensive back Jimmie Ward (foot) on injured reserve.
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