Nearly every NFL fan is familiar with the story of Alex Smith — the quarterback with a respectable career who suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in recent memory. After his injury on Nov. 18, 2018, Smith had a total of 17 surgeries on his right leg. However, Smith did what many thought was impossible and returned to play in the 2020 season.
In an Only Players sit-down interview with Smith, he told us that taking the first hit and getting back up was the last mental hurdle he had to go through when returning to the field.
“I felt like that was kind of the final thing I needed to happen to know that I can take a hit and get back up,” Smith said. “And from there on I started six games the rest of that season. I felt so comfortable after that, it was eerie how comfortable I felt out there.”
Smith also talked about how his journey applied to life in general and not just football.
The quarterback had a 5-1 record in the 2020 season to help Washington win the NFC East and won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award that same year. Smith announced his retirement from football on April 19, 2021.
