Background and career
Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football for the Utah Utes, earning first-team All-American honors and winning MW Offensive Player of the Year in 2004. Smith was selected first overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 NFL draft. Smith had a breakout season in 2011 when he led the 49ers to their first division title and playoff win since 2002 and their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1997. The following season, a concussion resulted in Smith losing his starting position to backup Colin Kaepernick. Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs the following offseason and guided them to four playoff runs between 2013 and 2017, their first consecutive division titles in franchise history, and their first playoff victory since 1993 during the 2015 season. Smith also received three Pro Bowl selections with the Chiefs and led the league in passer rating in 2017. He was traded to the Washington Redskins in 2018 to make way for second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but was credited with helping develop the future NFL MVP. During his first season in Washington, Smith suffered a life-threatening injury to his right leg that nearly resulted in amputation. Although expected never to play again, Smith completed a lengthy rehabilitation process that allowed him to return in 2020. Smith became the starter midway through the season, leading the team to a division title and earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors. He retired during the 2021 offseason after being released. Smith's return from injury is considered one of the greatest comeback stories in NFL history. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
Smith was born on May 7, 1984, in Bremerton, Washington. He grew up in La Mesa, California. His father, Douglas D. Smith, was an executive director at Helix High School, which Smith attended. As a starter for the Helix Highlanders during his junior and senior years, Smith led the team to a 25–1 record, including two San Diego CIF section championships. He was named to the first-team all-conference and all-county squads in the San Diego CIF system. Smith also earned the conference offensive player of the year twice, and twice won the team MVP for Helix. During his time at Helix, Smith set a school record by throwing for six touchdowns in one game, and recorded the second-highest completion percentage in San Diego CIF history. While at Helix, he was teammates with future NFL star Reggie Bush. Smith and Bush were finalists for the 2004 Heisman Trophy, making it the first time a high school had two finalists at the same ceremony. Bush went on to win the 2005 award. Smith was president of his senior class in high school, earned college credits through a program at San Diego State University, and took a dozen Advanced Placement tests.
Smith attended the University of Utah and played for the Utah Utes, wearing number 11. He finished fourth in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy and was selected as the 2004 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. Smith posted a 21–1 record as a starter in college, while leading a high-powered spread offense under head coach Urban Meyer. He led the Utes to victories in the 2003 Liberty Bowl and the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. Smith earned a bachelor's degree in economics in two years and began work on a master's degree before being drafted.
At the NFL Combine, Smith recorded a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash, and had a 32-inch vertical leap. He also scored 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test.
The San Francisco 49ers, who held the first overall pick, had hired a head coach with a strong personality in Mike Nolan. Nolan also evaluated California quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but did not believe that Rodgers' attitude could co-exist with him. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft, selected by the 49ers. In July 2005, Smith signed a six-year, $49.5 million contract with $24 million guaranteed. Dealing with an injury and being taken in and out of the lineup by head coach Mike Nolan, Smith played in nine games as a rookie, throwing for 875 yards, a touchdown, and 11 interceptions.
After the challenges faced in his rookie campaign, Smith went into the 2006 season with a new offensive coordinator (Norv Turner) and an improved set of offensive weapons around him. The 49ers used their top draft choice on tight end Vernon Davis. They also upgraded their offensive backfield, trading underachieving running back Kevan Barlow to the Jets, making Frank Gore the feature back. Smith also spent the off-season working daily with his new coordinator, wide receivers, and tight end while working to improve his technique and add bulk. The improved offensive cast clearly helped Smith develop in his second year, especially early. Smith's first three games of the season saw him throw three touchdowns, no interceptions, and amass 814 yards. After struggling in Kansas City, he then threw for three touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders, setting a career-high. However, the next five games saw Smith resume his growing pains, averaging only 153 yards per game while throwing only six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite his difficulty, he led the 49ers on a three-game winning streak in November. Smith met Joe Montana for the first time on November 5, 2006, during a game against the Vikings. The 49ers wore the throwback jerseys of the 1989 team which Joe Montana and teammates wore. The 49ers went on to win 9–3, upsetting the Minnesota Vikings. In need of a statement game, the 49ers traveled to Seattle for a Thursday Night Football game against their division rivals. During the broadcast on NFL Network, Cris Collinsworth noted that if he were starting an NFL franchise, he would have taken Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler before Alex Smith and fellow rookies Matt Leinart and Vince Young – and that Smith was not even close to the others. Going into the 4th quarter, the 49ers were trailing the Seahawks 7–3, and pulling out a win looked unlikely. Smith however performed brilliantly in the fourth quarter, and drove the 49ers on a long touchdown drive down the field early, taking a narrow 10–7 lead. Late in the quarter, with the same score, Smith struck again – shaking off an almost certain sack, rolling to the left and completing a pass to Frank Gore for a touchdown to give the 49ers a 10-point lead. On the next drive, Smith cemented the victory by leading yet another touchdown drive, and rushing for a touchdown on a naked bootleg. Collinsworth had earlier in the game observed that "Alex Smith is the best I've ever seen him. That drive is the best I saw," and on seeing his touchdown run, commented "What a second-half he has had!" After losing to the Cardinals the following week, the 49ers' final game of the 2006 season was against a Denver Broncos team looking for a playoff berth. In a major upset, the 49ers defeated the Broncos and knocked them out of the playoffs. During the game at INVESCO Field, Smith threw for 194 yards and a touchdown, leading the team to a come from behind victory for the second time in three weeks. Overall, Smith improved in his second year by throwing as many touchdowns as interceptions. He threw for 16 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 2,890 yards, and a 74.8 quarterback rating, all improvements over his rookie year. He became the first 49ers quarterback in club history to take every snap from center over the course of a season in 2006.
