Nothing but respect from Tom Brady to Alex Smith. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Washington Football Team in the NFC Wild Card round on Saturday, ending Washington's 2020 season and, possibly, the career of quarterback Alex Smith.
After the game, Brady showered Smith with some NFSW praise for his gutsiness and courage.
“Hey, I'm so f—ing proud of you, bro. You're f—ing unbelievable, you know what?” the Buccaneers QB told Smith after Saturday's game, via ESPN. “You're an inspiration to all of us. You're unbelievable. Always here if you need me.”
Two years after suffering a near-fatal leg injury, the 36-year-old Smith was thrust back into NFL action midseason. He helped lead the Washington to an NFC East title, but a calf ailment forced him to miss the Wild Card matchup.
Brady—seven years Smith's senior—threw for 381 yards on 22-for-40 passing, including two touchdowns and a 104.3 passer rating in the 31-23 Buccaneers win at FedEx Field.
In Smith's place, QB Tyler Heinicke performed admirably well considering the circumstances. The former XFL-er completed 26-of-44 passes for 306 yards, two TDs (one rushing), plus one interception.
Smith, who has two years left on his contract, said he's going to “take a few weeks” to mull retirement after the team's loss to the Buccaneers.
“I had so much fun this year, especially given all the COVID stuff,” he told reporters, via . “But to be back in the locker room, to be on the field with the guys, to be playing a game I love and to lose yourself in it, it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world. You cannot duplicate it outside of here.”
“My wife has been through a lot, and my family, certainly I’m going to take their input. But that’s something that right now I’m still just living in the moment and not getting ahead of myself. That is for another time and place.”
Alex Smith threw six TDs and eight interceptions in eight appearances in 2020. He compiled a 5-1 record as a starter, completed 66.7 percent of his passes, and is expected to win the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will face the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome in the NFC Divisional Round on Sunday night.
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