Alex Smith amazed the sports world with his incredible comeback last year. Two years after his devastating and catastrophic leg injury, Smith returned to start six games and lead the Washington Football Team to an NFC East division title. His inspirational return earned him 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Unfortunately, his comeback year ended with inactive and in street clothes on the sidelines watching Washington lose in the Wild Card Round to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith missed the playoff game as well as two of the last three regular season games with what was described by Washington as a calf strain.
However, Smith said in January the injury was “more complicated” than a calf strain. In an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, the injury was described as a “bone bruise.” But now we have another wrinkle to the mystery of his injury.
According to Sports Illustrated, an X-ray revealed Smith suffered a stress fracture in his surgically-repaired right leg. Doctors declared the fracture as “unrelated” to his 2018 injury. Yet, the 36-year old QB believes it was indeed related.
The fairy tale continued teetering, just like Smith’s longer story arc, the perfect imperfect match. X-rays would reveal a late-season stress fracture in that right leg. His doctors would term this injury “unrelated” to the previous one. Coaches deemed it a calf strain—implaying, Smith thought, that it was related. They placed Smith on injured reserve for the playoffs, a Wild-Card loss to Tampa Bay, when there’s no doubt in his mind that he should have suited up.
Taylor Heinicke started in his place, and played well despite the loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. It was a game Smith believed he could have played in.
That line adds to what appears to be an ominous ending to the relationship of Smith and Washington. The team released him last month after his request. Since, Smith has opened up about the tension between he and the team about his comeback attempt. That included accusing the team’s coaches of patronizing and trying to sabotage his comeback.
