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The only former NFL quarterback who understands the injury Alex Smith overcame admits he lives vicariously through it.
“Heck yeah!” Former Washington quarterback Joe Theismann told ESPN in a telephone interview. “Go ahead, Alex, go ahead.”
Washington deactivated Smith from the list of physically unfit to perform on Sunday morning, a remarkable development since he broke his tibia and fibula in his right leg in a November 2018 game against Houston.
Theismann suffered the same injury in 1985 – and was in the stands when Smith broke his leg 33 to the day that Theismann was injured. In both cases, the bone protruded through the skin. But their stories diverge from there. Theismann only needed one surgery on his right leg to clear an infection; Smith needed 17. He almost had his leg amputated, as he explained in ESPN’s E: 60 documentary titled Project 11.
“He’s been through a lot more than I had to endure,” Theismann said. “For me it was about healing the leg and then trying to do some things required of the quarterback position. Alex arrived within 24 hours of losing his leg. I didn’t have it. complications, he ended up with a tremendous amount. It wasn’t just about healing a broken leg, the mountain he had to climb is so much bigger.
“Whatever happens, he’s already won the Returning Player of the Year award.”
Smith, who started 161 games in 13 seasons, also had a rod placed in his leg to further protect his bones, which Theismann did not have. But Theismann said another difference was the acceptance of the NFL with the older quarterbacks.
Theismann was 36 when he was injured in a Monday night game. He also wasn’t playing as well as he once did with eight TDs for 16 interceptions – a marked difference from his 1984 stats (24 TDs, 13 interceptions).
Theismann attempted to return in 1986 but was given up. A year later, he said he was throwing passing drills for some teams – while also attending practice in his role as national broadcaster – and was moving “very well”.
“You can say medical progress but … it was another era of football,” he said. “If you were 35 in 1985, they couldn’t get you out fast enough. Now, if you’re 35 and can play decently, you’ve got a three to four year career ahead of you.
“I was able to do [anything] two years later, but I was 37. “
In his first season with Washington in 2018, Smith struggled to adjust to Jay Gruden’s offense but threw 10 touchdowns in five interceptions before the injury ended his season. Washington was 6-3 and in first place in the NFC East. They have 4-19 since his injury.
After the season, many teammates said they missed his presence and leadership in the clique. He also had a large plug, which made it more difficult to cut. Even now, Smith would be $ 32 million off the cap if released, although Washington has a $ 12 million insurance policy that would reduce his number if he was done playing. There was no salary cap in the mid-1980s; Theismann was set to win $ 1.2 million.
But Theismann said it went beyond a financial consideration. He highlighted Smith’s work throughout the process. Because of their shared history of injuries – and because Smith played for Washington – the two spoke often during this process. They discussed their injuries; they talked about the movements on the ground he needs to use to convince others that he can be effective.
“I was shooting for him from day one,” Theismann said. “At first everyone said they would never play again. I never bought this. Knowing Alex the way I knew him and the determination he had. … when you watch the Project show 11, the way the show ends he was so far ahead that where this show ended. Now he has a chance to come out and do some things. “
Whether Smith actually claims for the starting position remains to be seen. He was cleared for the soccer activity on Sunday, but the organization is still unsure of the level at which he is capable of playing. They will bring him back to football, according to several sources. Coach Ron Rivera and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese said the first thing they want to see is Smith’s ability to protect himself.
“Without any pre-season games and without real live contact, that remains an open question,” Theismann said. “For me, that’s the only thing Coach Rivera needs to assess is: will he be able to do it?”
Theismann said he could also understand Smith’s desire to play again after such a horrific injury.
“You know how hard Alex worked,” Theismann said. “Before his injury the man wore rocks underwater as part of his training. You know how important it is to him and it shows how important football is to him. A lot of people would have said. says, ‘Why are you exposing yourself to this?’ Then again, I don’t think a lot of people understand the athlete. It’s not about the money, it’s the love of the game and the love of competition. That’s what drives Alex. . “
And pushing himself to reach that point, Theismann said Smith had put in place the rest of his life.
“What he’s managed to do is create a quality of life for himself at some point,” Theismann said. “He pushed himself so hard he can do whatever he wants with it [his wife] Elizabeth and with her children because he pushed himself so hard. For me, this is the ultimate thing that has happened. “
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