
Alex Smith’s return from a fatal foot injury on the football field in 2020 was one of the biggest stories of the NFL season. But Smith said his winning comeback was perceived more as an unwanted hurdle by the Washington football team.
In Tuesday’s interview with Smith, GQ magazine, He said he threw a “wrench” in the WFT’s quarterback plan, leading the team to wonder if he could play after returning from an November 18, 2018 injury: a compound fracture that left both the tibia and fibula in his right leg broke. A life-threatening infection made matters worse and almost forced doctors to amputate his leg above the knee.
Smith returned to Washington before the start of the 2020 season but felt he had not been given a “fair shake” as first-year coach Ron Rivera insisted on second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins as the team’s starter.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a ditch in the team’s plan,” Smith told GQ. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, I didn’t want to be a part of it, I didn’t want me to be in the team, the roster didn’t want to give me a chance. Note to you, it’s a completely new The rule was, they came in, I am like the survivors and I am hurt and I am fulfilling this responsibility.
“Heck no, they didn’t want me there. At that point, as you can imagine, I couldn’t care less about all that I was doing. You like it or not , I’m getting to the point. “
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Smith said the team initially tried to place him on injured reserve before being cut into the final roster, ending any hopes of a 2020 return. Instead, he opened the camp until 16 August on the team’s physically unable performance. Even then, Smith said, he was not allowed to attend 11-on-11 full padded workouts until late in training camp – and only then did he enlist the help of coaches to give him a chance.
“I felt like I still haven’t felt my fair tremors at that time,” Smith said. “I wanted to see if I could play quarterback and play football, and I guess I didn’t have the opportunity to figure it out. It’s like getting closer to the final line of the marathon and they’re telling you that You can’t finish the race. It’s like, ‘f-that. I’m finishing this thing. At least I’m going to see if I can.’ So, I’m grateful that we Worked through all the stuff, but no, it wasn’t like open arms coming back after two years. “
Smith opened as the team’s No. 3 quarterback for the first four games of the season before picking up one of Riba Haskins (146 passes, 939 yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions, 13 sacks). Smith, then the primary backup, saw his first action in Week 5 after being kicked out of the game by starter Kyle Allen. He completed 9 of 17 passes for 37 yards in a 30–10 loss.
Smith did not record figures again until four weeks later, completing 24 of 325 carries for 325 yards and one touchdown in a 23–20 loss to three interceptions. The following week, he made his debut, winning the team four wins from five matches. He suffered a bone injury in a Dec. 13 win over San Francisco, but led the team to a playoff-clinching victory over the Eagles in the final regular-season game. He did not play in the team’s wild-card loss to Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay; Rivera instead went with Taylor Heinrich.
At the start of six games, Smith completed 135 of 203 passes for 1,220 yards and five touchdowns on five interceptions. For the season, he completed 168 of 252 passes for 1,582 yards and six touchdowns on eight interceptions.
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The Washington football team declined to comment on Smith’s interview, raising questions about whether he would play for the team in 2021. His contract extends through the 2022 season, on which he will become unrestricted free agent. He has a $ 24.4 million hit per team in 2021 Spotrac; $ 13.8 million would have been saved if the team released him.
Whether or not Smith returned to play for Washington. But the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year is not yet interested in hanging up his clat.
“I was left with more,” Smith told GQ. “I got more to go there. So I really want to get into the flesh of this dynasty and see where I am and push it. I want to push my body harder. I want to push my leg vigorously. It responds as hard as I can.
“At some point, I’m obviously going to sit down with my wife and have a very real conversation, and do we want to do that?” He deserves a ton of input. Then we will see. “
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