Alex Smith: More than a Game

Sports are at their best when they unite and inspire people on and off the field. Alex Smith has proven to be an astounding inspiration for all sorts of people now and in years to come. The 16 year NFL veteran announced today that he is going to hang up the cleats. With stops in San Francisco, Kansas City, and Washington DC it was evident that Smith made an impact wherever he was. His teammates and coaches can do the talking on that one. Andy Reid said of Alex "He's a heck of a person. He had a great career. Everywhere he went, he made them better, coach Reid even said he would love to have Alex on his staff someday if he moves in that direction. His biggest impact of course came off the field but we'll first dive into his career on the gridiron.

Smith gained recognition right off the bat in college under Urban Meyer at the University of Utah. His collegiate accolades are impressive, he was 4th in the 2004 Heisman trophy voting after winning the Mountain West Conference of the year award (his career turned out a little better than the Winner Matt Leinart, sorry Matt, good broadcasting career though), won the 2005 fiesta bowl and finished with an overall record of 21-1 as the starter. In the 2005 draft Smith was taken 1st overall by the San Francisco 49ers in a draft class that saw the great Aaron Rodgers slip all the way to pick 24. Smith Struggled with inconsistency and battled injuries all the way up until 2011. Never a guy to put up monster stats but in 2011 under Jim Harbaugh he found his step showing vast improvement in his leadership and intangibles. Smith led his squad all the way to the NFC championship game where they would fall to the Giants. A man who was labeled as a bust was able to start proving people wrong. Something he was able to do time and time again as we'll discuss.

Smith could not evade the injury bug once again as he got hurt again in 2012. Unfortunately, the concussion ended up costing him the starting job as Colin Kaepernick caught fire. Should Kaep have a job? Probably, but that's a topic for another day. Smith signed with Kansas City the following year which proved to be a stellar move for his career. Smith was a great fit with Andy Reid showing tremendous accuracy and a remarkable ability to limit turning the ball over in Reid's offense. Smith went to the playoffs in four out of five seasons with the Chiefs. Despite some disappointing losses in the postseason, Alex Smith's impact on the franchise cannot be underestimated. Don't forget about the one season Patrick Mahomes was under Alex. After the news of the retirement broke Pat said of his former teammate "A tremendous guy. With the injury that he had, to lead his team to the playoffs, just shows you the player he is. I'm just grateful for the time I had with him. He really helped me develop into the quarterback I am today."

With Mahomes ready to take over the QB 1 spot, Smith was traded to the Washington Football Team, then the Redskins, please dont be offended. As good as he was on the field his legacy will be remembered off the field. On November 8th 2018 Smith suffered a compound fracture in both his tibia and fibula A frightening play as he was sacked by all pro JJ Watt. Old timers compared this injury to that of Joe Theismann who's career ending injury came back in 1985 on a Lawrence Taylor tackle. Below are the similarities of the two injuries. I am confident this will be the craziest thing you'll see all day. You can't make this stuff up. In all seriousness this was as devastating of an injury as I have seen in my lifetime. This turned in to something way bigger than football as Smith was told there was life threatening issues with his leg. They even considered amputation and said he may never walk again. Smith persevered through 17 surgeries! After major time spent on a hospital bed Alex Smith miraculously returned to action on the field 693 days later in 2020. Simply unfathomable.

Most people would not dare step back on the field after such a traumatic injury. Alex Smith was no ordinary man. He played on and off with the Washington Football team in 2020 and helped them capture the NFC east title. What an incredibly inspiring story for his family, friends, and fans across the country. This comeback was capped off when he was named the NFL comeback player of the year. Smith's career was developed on the field but his legacy will live on forever for his perseverance off the field in the game of life. NFL....please name the award after this guy he deserves it undoubtedly. Nobody deserves a nice retirement more than Alex, the league will miss him.