Alex Smith says Good bye: Alex Smith confirms this is his last season as he is going to ……

Alex Smith says Good bye: Alex Smith confirms this is his last season as he is going to ……

Alex Smith has announced his retirement after 16 years with the NFLPP. Published: April 19, 2021 at 11:51 am Headshot_Author_Nick-shook_1400x1000Alex Smithand#039; ended his unlikely final return to football. The 36-year-old quarterback announced his retirement on Instagram on Monday. Smith said earlier this season that he was interested in another opportunity under center after the inevitable — his release from Washington — became a reality. and he could continue his career if he wished.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, several teams wanted to sign Smith, but Smith decided to retire from the sport a few weeks ago. The veteran QB told ESPN on Monday that he visited the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason and was so excited and quot; about the possibility of playing for his former coach Urban Meyer in 2021, but ultimately decided to retire.andquot;I wanted to do my due diligence even though I was leaning toward retirement,andquot; Smith said. andquot;I wanted to marinate in it a little.

I wanted to see what was out there, and I’m glad I did. Andquot;Basically, there was no better way for Smith to go out than on his own terms, coming back from the almost unthinkable and leading his team in the playoffs. . Smith acknowledged this in his retirement video, saying “even though I still have a lot of keys,” andquot; he is ready to explore what awaits him in the next phase of his life and especially outside of football. But football is what kept Smith fighting through a difficult recovery so he could take long walks and runs with his wife, Elizabeth. out with kids.

This brought him back to the field in 2020 where he made it to Washington and #039. most recently out under center after Dwayne Haskins was benched and Kyle Allen was injured. He went 5-1 as Washington’s starter and helped secure the position, if only temporarily. . After Smith did enough to keep Washington in contention, the football team went 7-9 and won the league and worst division, while Smith won the 2020 AP Comeback Player of the Year award. Although he may not have contributed to Washington’s postseason loss.

With the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he has already achieved more than enough to earn the universal respect of the football world. It would be a fitting conclusion to a career that has seen as many highs and lows as possible. Smith entered the NFL as the number 1 player on the reconstruction of San Francisco 49ers, desperate for an answer under center years after Steve Young and No. 039. retired.

They hit on a Utah quarterback who excelled in Meyerand’s wide offense, leading the Utes to a perfect 12-0 record and victory in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. Smith had the weight of the world on his shoulders and struggled to live up to the hype. , but not before Jim Harbaugh arrived and turned things around, helping Smith prove his worth at the professional level, helping the 49ers go 13-3.

mark and the division title in 2011. That postseason, Smith had a signature moment when he had an 85-yard touchdown run with 1:28 left that was stopped by a bullet that hit Vernon Davis in the chest for the game-winner. saints .Two years later, the head was replaced by electric dual-threat star Colin Kaepernick and sent to Kansas City for a fresh start under Andy Reid. Smith peaked with the Chiefs, making the Professional Bowl three times and going 50-26 as a starter, helping Kansas City reach the finals in four of five seasons.

He also set the table for the Chiefsand#039; reach new heights by helping guide first-round pick and future NFL and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes in his final season in Kansas City before leaving for Washington.

Unfortunately, Smithand’s career in Washington never took off due to a leg injury. But overall, Smith has shown he has the guts and determination to prove the doubters wrong and has had a 16-year career that will no doubt be remembered. He finished with a career record of 99-67-1, a passer rating of 86.9 and a TD-INT ratio of 199-109. His 99 victories rank fifth among all quarterbacks selected first in the draft era, following only Peyton Manning, John Elway, Eli Manning and Terry Bradshaw.

Smith also joined Brett Favre as the only quarterbacks since 1950 to start for three or more teams and have a winning record with each team, proving that while he was never quite a superstar at the position, he was a winner. Now he can smile and think about the good times, enjoying a long walk with his wife and children..