Veteran quarterback Alex Smith, who made a remarkable comeback from an injury that nearly cost him his right leg, announced Monday on Instagram that he is retiring from football.
Smith, 36, was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2020 after helping lead the Washington Football Team to the NFC East title. His tenure with Washington was defined by the broken right fibula and tibia that he suffered in November 2018 and his subsequent comeback, with his first game action on Oct. 11, 2020.
In between, Smith underwent 17 surgeries to fight an infection and opted not to have his leg amputated. His battle to return to action was the subject of an ESPN documentary, Project 11, that aired last spring, and Smith kept fighting, passing numerous tests and milestones along the way to being cleared by doctors.
Smith said in the video posted Monday to Instagram that although he has “plenty of snaps left in me,” he is looking forward to spending more time with his family and “can’t wait to see what else is possible” after 16 years in the NFL.
Smith was drafted No. 1 overall by the 49ers in 2005 and spent eight seasons in San Francisco before joining the Chiefs in 2013. The three-time Pro Bowler is 27th all time in the NFL with 35,650 career passing yards. He appeared in 174 games total with San Francisco, Kansas City and Washington, throwing 199 touchdown passes.
Smith was released by Washington last month with two years remaining on his contract in a move that saved the team $14.9 million against the salary cap.
ESPN’s John Keim contributed to this report.
