After suffering a gruesome leg injury 18 months ago, Alex Smith appears headed for full recovery. His journey is chronicled in a new E:60 documentary.
On November 18, 2018 former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith suffered a brutal and gruesome leg injury that most believed would end his career.
Eighteen months later, his NFL future remains uncertain, but what is perfectly clear is that he’s been rehabilitating as if he’s planning on making a comeback. Smith has been seen in varying states of rehabilitation via photo: a full leg cast, a monstrous looking halo, a walking boot, et cetera.
But what we have not seen is much video of what the former Chief has been doing in his recovery. However, Smith’s year-and-a-half long journey back to health was chronicled in a new ESPN E:60 documentary which will air on ESPN this Friday at 6:30 p.m. (Arrowhead Time).
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Smith was the number one overall draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the the 2005 NFL Draft. He came to Kansas City via trade when Andy Reid took over the Chiefs’ franchise before he 2013 season.
Chiefs fans remember Smith for being a part of the team’s incredible turnaround that began that season. Smith led the Chiefs to a 11-5 record and a Wild Card playoff birth in 2013 just one year after going 2-14 and securing the number overall draft pick in the 2013 draft. He went on to make the Pro Bowl that year, and two more times in his five year Chiefs’ career.
In his five-year career in Kansas City, Smith passed for over 17,000 yards and 102 touchdowns. He ranks third all time in Chiefs history in yards and fourth in touchdowns. He has the highest completion percentage of all passers in Chiefs history at 65.1% (with more than 200 attempts), the lowest interception rate of 1.4%, and the second highest quarterback rating.
The Chiefs drafted the player with the highest career passing rating in team history in 2017, Patrick Mahomes, to be the heir apparent to Smith. After just one season as the backup, Andy Reid and staff decided that Mahomes was ready and traded Smith to Washington for a 3rd round pick and cornerback, Kendall Fuller. The team was, apparently, correct in their decision as Patrick Mahomes as a league MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, and a Super Bowl Championship in his first two seasons as a starter. To his credit, Smith has been credited by Reid and Mahomes as being integral to the MVP’s development.
With Dwayne Haskins (their 2019 first round pick) and Kyle Allen (who they traded for this offseason) on the roster, Smith’s future in Washington is uncertain. Still, a clean bill of health will likely lead to some opportunity to play in the NFL again, and the former number one overall pick has stated his goal is to play once again.
We wish Alex the best in his recovery and efforts to return to the league. For his guidance back from NFL futility, and his mentorship of Patrick Mahomes, he has an eternal place in Chiefs lore.