By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
Free-agent quarterback Alex Smith announced his retirement on Monday. He played 16 seasons in the league.
This off-season, the Washington Football Team released Smith. Several weeks later, he elected to step away from the game instead of playing another season.
“Even though I’ve got plenty of snaps left in me, after 16 years of giving this game everything I’ve got, I can’t wait to see what else is possible,” Smith said in the video. “But first, I’ll take a little time to enjoy a few of those walks with my wife, and my kids have no idea what’s coming for them in the backyard.”
Smith was linked to the Jacksonville Jaguars before his retirement. He played for first-year Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer while he was in college with the Utah Utes nearly two decades ago.
He met with the Jaguars. However, after the meeting, he elected to continue on retirement instead of mentoring projected No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence.
Smith was the NFL’s 2020 Comeback Player of the Year. He returned to the league this past season with the Washington Football Team after suffering a career-threatening compound fracture against the Houston Texans in November 2018.
It was a miracle to see Smith back on the field when he came back. The 36-year-old — who will be 37 on May 7th — played in eight games, including six starts.
He was 5-1 as a starter with WFT. This past season, Smith went 168 of 252 for 1,582 yards. He also had six touchdown passes and eight interceptions.
In his career, Smith appeared in 174 games, including 167 starts. He went 3,250 of 5,193 for 35,650 while throwing 199 touchdowns passes and 109 interceptions.
“We want to congratulate Alex Smith on a tremendous career,” Washington Football Team owners Dan and Tanya Snyder said in a joint statement. “He accomplished the greatest comeback in professional sports history and was a huge part of our team’s success this past season. Since the day Alex arrived here in Washington, he has represented this organization with class and dignity both on and off the field. We witnessed every step of Alex’s comeback first-hand and he personifies perseverance, strength, and the will to never give up. The support he received from his family, friends, teammates, and club medical staff throughout his comeback journey was truly unmatched.
“We will always be touched by the strength, courage, and support that Elizabeth and their family showed throughout Alex’s recovery and comeback. We wish the Smith family all the best in the next chapter of their lives.”
