Alex Smith has a sports recovery story like no other.
Did you see where the Washington Football Team, nee Redskins, ruined the Pittsburgh Steelers’ undefeated season last night?
Do you remember Alex Smith, the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft from Utah (who beat the Tar Heels by 30 as a senior) and former Kansas City quarterback who led the Chiefs to the AFC championship game before losing his job to Patrick Mahomes and signing with Washington for $71 million?
And do you remember the amazing part about Smith, the gruesome injury he suffered on November 18, 2018, against the Texans? A double fracture in his right leg, to the tibia and fibula, with bones protruding from the skin as he was carted off the field?
The injury was as bad as the one that ended Joe Theisman’s career, 33 years ago to the day also playing for the Redskins, but got even worse when doctors discovered a serious infection that came from chemicals on the artificial turf. Would he play football again?
The question, more so, got to be would he lose his leg to the infection and possibly die from it. His wife, so fearful of the contagion spreading to vital organs, at one point told the doctors to “just cut it off.” But, somehow, Smith miraculously recovered, and 16 more surgeries with plates and screws gave him a chance to walk again.
Smith planned to walk and then planned to run. And when he could do that, he thought seriously about trying to resume his football career. Doctors gave him permission to work out and, eventually, cleared him to play the game he loved. By that time, Washington had a new head coach in former Panthers’ boss Ron Rivera.
When the team got off to a terrible start this season, going 2-5, Rivera named the 36-year-old Smith his starter. After two narrow losses, the team has now won three straight games, the last rallying from 14-0 down to stun the Steelers and moved into a tie for first place in the woefully weak NFC East division.
Smith outplayed Ben Roethlisberger, who is having perhaps the best season of his career. Smith isn’t great, by any means, but he is still working his way back into the game from an injury that would have ended anyone else’s career.
Alex Smith, remember his name.
(featured image via AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
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