Alex Smith, Washington Football Team Reportedly Parting Ways

Alex Smith recently told GQ Magazine that the Washington Football team “did not want him on the team” during the 2020 NFL season. On Monday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year will not be returning to Washington for the 2021 NFL season.

The Washington Football Team is expected to part ways with QB Alex Smith in the coming days, sources tell me and @KimJonesSports. The AP Comeback Player of the Year has said he still wants to play, and at age 36 may have a chance to do so.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2021

Smith underwent 17 surgeries and suffered life-threatening complications. ESPN reported in February that Smith had been named the AP Comeback Player of the Year for leading Washington to the franchise’s first NFC East Division Title since 2015.

Alex Smith Tells All in Recent Interview

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Alex Smith revealed that the Washington Football Team were not supportive of him making a full comeback and starting an NFL game. Here is part of what Smith said in that interview.

“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan. They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team…Mind you, it was a whole new regime, they came in, I’m like the leftovers and I’m hurt and I’m this liability.”

The 2005 NFL first-overall-pick ended up winning five of the six games he started in 2020. The 36-year-old West Coast-native led the Washington Football Team on a late-season playoff push. Washington earned a wild card playoff game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs. When the dust settled, Smith was able to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in NFL history. However, Smith had some scary moments along the way, like the time he was sacked by the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald.

“It’s so crazy that the first time I get tackled after all this is Aaron Donald jumping on my back…There was a little pause when that happened, like, ‘I got a human on my back with this leg’.”

Thankfully, Smith was not injured when the NFL Defensive Player of the Year jumped on his back. Smith sat out the final two games of the year and the wild card playoff game due to a bone bruise, which were minor injuries compared to his 2018 leg injury. As far as the 2020 season is considered, Smith did his job. He was able to win five of his six starts and led Washington to their first playoff appearance since 2015.

Free Agent Smith

In February, ESPN’s John Keim reported that the Washington Football Team had sent an offer to the Detroit Lions for quarterback Matthew Stafford. 

ESPN’s Keim also said that the biggest hurdle the team faces regarding re-signing Smith is the $23.3 million salary he earned in 2020. Exactly four quarterbacks earned between $24-25 million last season: Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, and Teddy Bridgewater.

Alex Smith played well in six games last season, but is he worth as much as Tom Brady? No. However, Smith’s 5-1 record in 2020 warrants the interest of NFL teams across the league looking for a resilient and experienced veteran quarterback.