On a day when Dak Prescott suffered a scary injury, he can take some solace in Washington quarterback Alex Smith returning to the field nearly two years after an equally gruesome injury. Smith began Sunday’s game as Washington’s backup to Kyle Allen. But when Allen took a hit to the helmet, Smith was summoned, completing one of the most amazing comeback stories in recent memory.
Sadly, there wasn’t much Smith could do to help Washington, which lost 30-10 to the Rams. Smith completed just nine of his 17 passes for 37 yards, as he was constantly under pressure, taking six sacks in less than a full game of action. It’s certainly not what he had envisioned, but simply getting back on the field was enough for the former first overall pick.
Smith has admitted that there were moments over the last two years, in between his 17 surgeries, when he didn’t think he’d ever step on an NFL field again. But with an incredible amount of hard work and perseverance, Smith made it back. As he ran onto the field with his wife and kids standing and applauding in a mostly empty stadium, Smith described the feeling as “very surreal.” He was also quick to express disappointment in his performance. However, everyone on the field seemed to appreciate what Smith accomplished just being a part of the action.
“I took a step back when I got off the field and I was like, ‘Man, wow, this dude is really out there with us.’ He was so close to not even playing again,” said Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers.
Moving forward, Smith is expected to remain the backup to Allen. However, Washington coach Ron Rivera said he was “pleased” with Smith’s performance under difficult circumstances. After getting sacked six times and getting back up each time, Smith proved that he’s capable of taking a hit. Now that he’s passed this important and somewhat unlikely milestone of getting back on the field after breaking both his fibula and tibia, Smith is officially an NFL backup quarterback just waiting for his next opportunity to play.