Alex Smith retires from NFL after completing remarkable comeback from leg injury

Alex Smith completed his incredible NFL comeback story this fall. The veteran quarterback will let that serve as the cap to his playing career.

The announcement comes just two months after Smith, 36, was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year for 2020 for his return to action with the Washington Football Team. After suffering a compound fracture to his right tibia and fibula in a November 2018 game against the Houston Texans, Smith underwent 17 surgeries and sat out the entire 2019 season. He also developed sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication from an infection, and had to wear a brace to combat his drop foot.

“Two years ago I was stuck in a wheelchair, staring down at my mangled leg, wondering if I would ever be able to go on a walk again or play with my kids in the yard,” Smith said in a video. “ ... But football wouldn’t let me give up. Because, no, this isn’t just a game. It’s not just what happens between those white lines on a Sunday afternoon. It’s about the challenges and the commitment they require. It’s about how hard and how far you can push yourself. It’s about the bond between those 53 guys in the locker room and everybody else in the organization. It’s about fully committing yourself to something bigger.”

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