Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith was seen by many as the unanimous AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year by the end of the 2020 season. However, Smith fell just one vote shy of actually winning in unanimous fashion, with Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger managing to get one out of the 50 votes.

While the Steelers quarterback did have a nice comeback season, Smith's story is truly inspirational.

The veteran playmaker for the Washington Football Team overcame all odds after missing a couple of seasons due to a gruesome leg injury sustained back in November 2018. Smith underwent a total of 17 surgeries and was even advised by the doctor that his injured leg might be amputated for good.

Smith's road to recovery lasted for 17 months before he finally took the field again in Week 5 of the season against the Los Angeles Rams. As the season progressed, Smith managed to secure the starting quarterback spot after former QB1 Dwayne Haskins found himself off Washington's roster.

With Smith's leadership, the squad concluded their campaign with a 7-9 record to win the NFC East title. Although Smith didn't get to play in the Wild Card Round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a calf injury, his team still gave a valiant effort as the clear underdog of the matchup. However, they succumbed to a 31-23 defeat to bow out of contention in the postseason.

On the other hand, Roethlisberger missed the majority of the 2019 season due to an elbow injury sustained in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. The Steelers veteran finally returned to action this season and had a stellar campaign in the first half of the proceedings.

The Steelers looked very much like a Super Bowl-bound team until Smith's Washington squad dealt them a 23-17 loss in Week 13, which led to their downward spiral. Pittsburgh never recuperated from the bitter defeat and eventually ended the season with a 12-4 record. Roethlisberger couldn't sustain his promising run as well when he failed to lift his squad over the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round, suffering a 48-37 defeat while throwing four interceptions.

Ben Roethlisberger may have made his case for the award at one point of the season, but Alex Smith's story is one of the best comeback efforts in the history of the NFL. Smith should have been the unanimous winner.