Last season was a spectacular one to watch for Alex Smith, as he made his way back to the league after suffering one of the worst injuries in history. He earned the Comeback Player of the Year award for his efforts, but not without the Washington Football Team coaching staff not wanting him under center.
In an interview with GQ Magazine, Smith recalled his season with Washington, Claiming his return, he “definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” per NBC Sports.
However, his play was rather impressive, starting six games, including one playoff game. The Washington Football Team won five of his starts, and the veteran produced a 78.5 passer rating.
Head coach Ron Rivera was recently questioned about Alex Smith's take in a press conference, stating, “To be quite honest with you, I don’t disagree with a lot of things that he said. I really don’t,” per NBC Sports.
Rivera cleared up his thoughts though, as it first seemed the 10-year veteran head coach had it out for Smith. It was quite the opposite, as NBC Sports reported Rivera stating, “I said, ‘Alex, I’ll be honest, I was scared to death. I didn’t know what to expect.' Which I believe he appreciated, was [me] just telling him how I felt — how hard it was for us.”
At the end of the day, it seemed to work out for Smith and the Washington Football Team. Alex Smith hits the free-agent market and should be finding a new role as a veteran mentor for a team with a young quarterback. We'll see if he hits the field next year, as it all depends on where he signs this offseason.