Redskins QB Alex Smith said in an interview with ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap that he is “very much lucky to be alive” after the leg injury he suffered back in 2018.
Smith explained that both the combination of the severity of the injury and the serious infection he had left him in a tough position and unsure of what the outcome would be.
“I had a pretty serious infection … they had a lot of complications with it,’‘ Smith said.
Smith developed sepsis, which is a potentially life-threatening condition. He later faced a decision whether to amputate his leg or attempt to save it.
“(The) next thing I remember is waking up several weeks later faced with the decision of amputation or limb salvage at that point,” Smith said.
“(I’m) so thankful for everyone that’s had a hand in this. My wife, kids, and family and doctors and nurses and PTs and trainers and so many people that have helped me to be sitting here.”
Smith is still preparing to return to the NFL, but knows it will be a big challenge.
“There’s enough there that I can go out there and play,” Smith said. “Knowing that yeah failure is a possibility … I need to prove that I can come back and play quarterback in the NFL, and if I can do that that would be great and it’ll get figured out.”
The Redskins now have Dwayne Haskins in place as their starting quarterback of the future, so it will be interesting to see how this situation plays for Washington and Smith.
Smith, 35, is a former first-round pick of the 49ers back in 2005. After seven years in San Francisco, Smith was traded to the Chiefs in 2013.
Smith was in the fourth year of his five-year, $76 million contract that includes $45 million guaranteed and set to make a base salary of $10.8 million for the 2018 season when he was traded to the Redskins back in March.
The Redskins and Smith later agreed to a four-year, $94 million contract that included $55 million fully guaranteed.
In 2018, Smith appeared in 10 games for the Redskins and completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards receiving to go along with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown.
We’ll have more regarding Smith as the news is available.
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