Just getting back on an NFL field was a major step for Alex Smith. Now, he could be quarterbacking the Washington Football Team for the rest of the season.
Two years after suffering a devastating leg injury that nearly ended his life, Smith will likely replace Kyle Allen under center for Washington for the remainder of the 2020 campaign, after Allen suffered his own brutal leg injury on Sunday that will require season-ending surgery.
“Just want to thank everyone for the overwhelming love and support today. This is the unfortunate part of the game we play, but there's no adversity you can't overcome!! I promise I'll be back stronger, and better because of it,” Allen wrote to his supporters. “Loved every second of my first year in Washington, I can't wait for more!”
Washington QB Kyle Allen is expected to undergo surgery in the coming weeks on his dislocated ankle and small fracture, according to sources, jeopardizing his season and paving the way for Alex Smith to potentially start the remainder of the way, according to sources.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 9, 2020
In Week 10 of 2018, Smith suffered one of the scariest injuries in NFL history, when his leg buckled on a sack, resulting in a compound fracture with the bone piercing the skin. It led to a spiral fracture — which starts at the ankle and spirals up the leg to the knee.
In the days after the injury, Smith’s fever spiked and doctors discovered he had necrotizing fasciitis and fought to save Smith’s leg — and his life. Overall, Smith needed 17 surgeries across nine months, and all sorts of screws and plates inserted.
The former no. 1 overall pick missed the entire 2019 season and entered this season as the third-string option behind Dwayne Haskins and Allen. With Haskins benched and Allen out of the season, Smith seems to have the job the rest of the way.
After Allen's third-quarter injury on Sunday, Smith came into the game for the second time this season and nearly led Washington to a comeback victory over the New York Giants. He completed 24-of-32 pass attempts for 325 yards and a touchdown, but also three interceptions, including two in the final minutes.
Regardless of how he plays or how many more games Washington wins, I think it's safe to assume who the recipient of the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award for 2020 will be.
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