Ode to Alex Smith
Alex Smith called it quits today. It’s interesting what a difference a decade can make. Going into the 2011 season, Smith was seen as a bust and was fighting to stay in the league. Now, he retires as one of the most respected quarterbacks to play the game in recent time. While he wasn’t someone who blew you away with stats, Smith put you in good position to win by rarely turning the ball over. His comeback story from both a football and life perspective is impressive. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane.
Smith came into the league in 2005. The San Francisco 49ers had the first overall pick and were in need of a quarterback. At the time, local kid and University of California-Berkeley alum Aaron Rodgers, believed he would get to play for his hometown team. However, new 49ers coach Mike Nolan thought Smith would be a better fit and selected him as the first overall pick. Smith was thrust immediately into the starting role, while Rodgers sat for 3 seasons before he became the starter in Green Bay.
Any time more than one quarterback is selected in the NFL Draft, there are always comparisons. Early on, the critics were hard on Smith, and especially when Rodgers became the starter in Green Bay and found success, while Smith and the 49ers struggled. From 2005–2010, Smith was seen as a huge disappointment. Unfairly or not, quarterbacks are the most scrutinized players in the NFL, and a team’s success largely depends on the play of their signal caller. However, the talent the front office puts around a quarterback can be a large factor. Due to not having a stable offensive line or system, Smith only played 16 games once in his first five years in the league.
His numbers in 2009 and 2010 weren’t terrible, but considering that he couldn’t stay healthy, committed many turnovers, and his poor play was matched by a poor record, 49ers fans were frustrated. On a Sunday night game vs the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010, fans chanted “We Want Carr!”, as they booed Smith when he threw an incomplete pass, and wanted to see back-up David Carr take over as the starter. It didn’t help that Aaron Rodgers was lighting up the stat sheet in Green Bay and led the Packers to a playoff berth in only his second year, and a Super Bowl title in 2010. His head coach, Mike McCarthy, was Alex Smith’s offensive coordinator back in 2005 in San Francisco, leading people to think that when the 49ers had the last rated offense at the time, it was more on Smith than McCarthy.
Coaches can make a big difference in a player’s career, and Smith had yet to find one in the NFL. Everything changed in the 2011 season when the 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh along with new offensive coordinator Greg Roman let Smith know they wanted him to stay in town, despite Smith’s family wanting him to leave and start over elsewhere. Smith responded by leading the 49ers to an impressive 13–3 season and having season highs in almost all the statistics in which quarterbacks are usually measured by. The one drawback was that Smith was seen as a game manager due to still not lighting up the stat sheet. However, the key thing was that he cut down his turnovers as he threw a league low 5 interceptions.
Smith silenced his game manager critics with an impressive performance in the playoffs vs the New Orleans Saints, as he used both his mobility and arm to lead the 49ers to a win in an exciting game. Smith led the 49ers to two touchdown drives in the final 4 minutes of the game, including the last drive, where he threw a game winning score with only nine seconds left. The 49ers fell short next week in the NFC Championship game vs the New York Giants, but there was no doubt Smith would be a starting quarterback next season.
Now, the only caveat was that the 49ers didn’t immediately sign Smith, who was a free agent, as they courted Peyton Manning. The 49ers only signed Smith when Manning chose the Denver Broncos. Smith rewarded the 49ers by putting up better numbers than the year before, only for injuries to rear their ugly head once again. A concussion vs the then St. Louis Rams knocked him out of a game midseason, and eventually led to backup Colin Kaepernick becoming the starter due to his impressive play. While Smith was eventually ruled eligible to play, the 49ers rode Kaepernick’s hot hand to a Super Bowl berth. The 49ers fell short of the title, and one year after Smith played well enough to assure himself of a starting role, he was now involved in a quarterback controversy. The 49ers chose to stick with Kaepernick and sent Smith to Kansas City.
Smith had the fortune of playing for another quarterback guru in Kansas City, as his head coach was Andy Reid. Reid immediately named Smith the starter. With the Chiefs, Smith continued his solid play by limiting his turnovers, as the most interceptions he threw was 8 in 2016. The Chiefs found regular season success with Smith as they made playoffs in 4 of his 5 seasons there and were usually considered title contenders. However, with the exception of the 2015 season, the Chiefs went one and done in the playoffs which including blowing a big lead to the Colts in 2014 and being upset by the Titans at home in 2018.
Just as Smith was replaced in San Francisco, the solid play of Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 regular season finale was enough for coach Andy Reid to give him the starting role. Once again, Smith was traded after a solid season. This time he landed in Washington, a team that was seen as an underperformer due to not making the playoffs since 2015, despite having a roster that was believed good enough to do so. Once again, Smith was solid and limited his turnovers, which resulted in Washington being in first place. Then came that fateful day in November 2018.
During a game vs the Houston Texans, Smith was sacked by J.J. Watt and Kareem Jackson. From the moment you saw what happened, you knew that not only was the season over for Smith, but possibly his career and the ability for him to walk. He suffered a spiral and compound fracture to his tibia and fibula in his right leg. Former Washington quarterback Joe Theismann suffered a similar injury in 1985 which caused him to eventually retire, and he said that Smith’s injury looked worse. Turns out he was right, as doctors recommended they should amputate above the knee as he suffered some infections that might cause him to lose him leg. They were able to save him without having to amputate, but there still was the question of whether he could walk again, and least of all, if he could play.
In all the battles Smith faced while he was in the league, this was without a doubt the toughest. He vowed he would return to the field. While his spirit was admirable, it was hard to believe that could happen. While he recovered, he wore an external fixation device. There was no doubt Washington suffered his loss, and they lost their remaining games in the 2018 season and went 3–13 in 2019 while Smith spent the year recovering from his gruesome injury. While Washington hoped to bounce back in 2020, the popular opinion was that Alex Smith wouldn’t be part of the team this past season.
Yet, he was medically cleared by doctors to play in July 2020 and he was activated the next month. Believe it or not, Alex Smith was back on the field, though not as a starter yet. He got his first reps on the field against the Los Angeles Rams in week 5. Smith ended up playing in 8 games while starting 6. While his stats weren’t impressive as threw more interceptions than touchdowns, he led Washington to a surprising 5 wins in his 6 starts which was highlighted by beating the then undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers and a division clinching season finale win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
If Smith had only played one game, that would’ve been a good enough story. But the fact he contributed to his team making the playoffs despite his limitations is very impressive. Smith was a mobile quarterback who would move around to avoid pressure or run for positive yardage if it was present. The injury limited him to being a pocket passer and he made the best of it. Complications from his injury led him to not be able to play in the playoffs, but just as Smith put an impressive fight to make it on the back the field, Washington put a surprisingly strong effort vs Tampa Bay, but fell short.
It wasn’t a surprise that Smith was named the Comeback Player of the Year, and there are many who think the award should be named after him. Frankly, I can’t see a better person to name this award after. Even when he had a possible successor, Smith was cooperative and even served as a big help. Both Kaepernick and Mahomes mention they owe a lot of what they learned to Smith as he was a big mentor. Smith couldn’t have liked being replaced by both of them, and yet you never heard him publicly complain. When his career and life were threatened to be cut short, he again persevered and found a way to come back. While Alex Smith was a good quarterback and that is enough remember his NFL career, he should be remembered for his best characteristic, which is his resilience.
