WASHINGTON — Alex Smith's trials and tribulations since his 2018 leg injury are well documented. From the life-threatening recovery to the countless surgeries, Smith has been through a lot in the last two years.
His start as quarterback for the Washington Football Team this coming Sunday against the Detriot Lions will be something the entire National Football League will be cheering on.
Here is a look at Smith's time in Washington, from injury to comeback:
TIMELINE
November 18, 2018 -- After nine starts in Washington, Alex Smith suffers a spiral and compound fracture to his tibia and fibula in his right leg after a sack by two Houston Texan players at FedEx Field. Smith is carted off the field and immediately undergoes surgery.
Nov. 2018 - July 2019 -- Alex Smith has 17 surgeries and four stays in hospitals as part of his recovery and in an effort to help the quarterback play football again. A big reason for the numerous surgeries is because he developed necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis which threatened his life.
July 2019 -- Washington puts Alex Smith on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, meaning he would not play in the 2019 National Football League season.
2019 NFL Season -- Alex Smith is still a part of the Washington Football Team, attending some games and practices while hurt.
May 2020 -- Project 11 aired in May 2020 on ESPN, documenting how close Smith came to losing his life, while doctors looked to save his leg from being amputated. It also showed how big of a role Alex’s wife played in keeping him motivated through his struggles.
July 2020 -- Doctors clear Alex Smith to start football activities. It is the first noticeable step in his return to football after the horrific 2018 injury.
Augusts 2020 -- Smith is activated by the Washington Football Team, taking his name off the PUP list.
September 2020 -- Alex Smith makes the 53-man roster for the Washington Football Team. He is one of the three quarterbacks to make the roster, including Kyle Allen and Dwayne Haskins.
October 11, 2020 -- Alex Smith plays in his first game since the 2018 leg injury. He was a part of one touchdown drive for the team in its loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The most nerve-racking, but ultimately comforting, part was watching him take hits -- he popped up and just kept playing.
November 8, 2020 -- Alex Smith plays in his second game of the season after Washington quarterback Kyle Allen dislocates his ankle in a game against the New York Giants. Washington's head coach Ron Rivera tells the media after the game that Smith will start in the team's next game against the Detriot Lions.
