After being traded to the then-Redskins in 2018, star quarterback Alex Smith had a solid start with a 6-4 record. However, his season ended all too abruptly when Smith suffered a devastating injury against the Texans, shattering his tibia and fibula. Despite the incident occurring 6 years ago, the effects still linger on, as recent pictures of his shattered leg have gone viral on social media, reminding fans of the dark side of the game.
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The recently surfaced photo making the rounds on the internet shows the severe state of Smith’s right leg, with the damage from the shattered fibula and tibia clearly visible. Fans were understandably horrified by the visuals and first thanked the NFL Gods for blessing Smith with the ability to still walk.
He’s lucky to be even walking by the looks of it. Blessings to A Smith
— Vibes – Eli Racks (@IamEliRacks) August 4, 2024
Such a brutal injury
— hammertime $FAME (@wenhammertime) August 4, 2024
The majority, meanwhile, expressed their awe at the fact the QB, despite the terrible condition of his leg, made a brief comeback before retiring for good.
The fact that this man went back out and played again on a leg like this…
— Lions Basement Banter Show (@LionsBanter) August 4, 2024
Considering his miraculous comeback year in 2020, one fan even urged the NFL to rename the Comeback Player Of The Year Award by dedicating it to Alex Smith.
They should rename the comeback player award the Alex Smith Comeback Player of the Year
— Corey Seager Stan (@Rangers29AB) August 4, 2024
As seen from the visuals, his injury was so devastating that the fact he didn’t have to amputate his leg seems like a miracle. Hence, it’s natural to see the fans express their gratitude.
Revisiting Smith’s horrific injury
On November 18, 2018, the Houston Texans faced the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field. By the end of the third quarter, Smith’s team was trailing 17-7. In an attempt to even the score, the star quarterback dropped back to make a deep pass.
Unfortunately, his plan didn’t quite materialize, as Kareem Jackson was able to sack him. But it wasn’t just a normal sack, as the aftereffects of a routine defensive act were unimaginable. After Kareem brought Smith down, J.J. Watt, in a rush of adrenaline, couldn’t control his follow-through and ended up stomping the QB’s legs.
As you might have guessed, the result was a broken fibula and tibia. What followed the horrific injury was multiple screw insertions, infections, and surgeries.
Unfortunately, inflammation couldn’t be controlled and ended up killing the muscles and tissues around the leg, resulting in an unrecoverable fibula and tibia.
Despite all this, Smith made a brief comeback to the league and even started six games for the Commanders. As expected, the injury was too gruesome to allow the veteran to continue playing. However, he did end up clinching a 5-1 record and the CPOY nod.
