The Washington Football Team entered Sunday dealing with some quarterback drama after Dwayne Haskins was moved from starter to third string after a 1-3 start to the season. Kyle Allen was elevated to starter and Alex Smith, who has not played in two years since suffering a gruesome compound fracture of his right leg that required 17 surgeries, had an infection that nearly cost him his leg, and a lengthy rehab, was set as the backup.
In the second quarter against the L.A. Rams, Allen took a helmet-to-helmet hit on the sidelines from Jalen Ramsey that forced him out of the game and, as such, Smith was thrust into action for the first time since November of 2018.
Alex Smith has entered the game. #WashingtonFootball
— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020
His first play was a quick swing pass to the running back for a six yard gain, as the Football Team clearly wanted to get him a low stress attempt for his first throw back in live game action.
give Alex Smith Comeback Player of the Year right now — nothing else will top this #WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/JB2BJRA7EE
— Matt (@msully_94) October 11, 2020
From there he almost made an incredible completion for a first down on the run as he climbed the pocket to avoid the rush, but it was ruled incomplete. His third play was another dropback in which he took his first hit in two years, as he hasn’t done any contact in practice, when Aaron Donald got to him and jumped on his back for a sack.
Pretty much everybody in the country probably cringed seeing Alex Smith get sacked. pic.twitter.com/JTMXyNSytK
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 11, 2020
It wasn’t the most spectacular of opening drives, but given how long it took for Smith just to walk again after his injury, that he is playing in an NFL game again is truly one of the more incredible stories of the 2020 NFL season and a testament to how much work he put in to his rehab.
Source: https://uproxx.com/sports/alex-smith-return-injury-washington-rams-video/