Alex Smith

At 40 years old, Alex Smith has this physical status:

Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL).

He played college football for the Utah Utes, where he was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2004 and led Utah to a victory over Pittsburgh at the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, finishing in the national top-five. Following his college career, Smith was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

During his first six seasons for them, he played for a different offensive coordinator each year, and struggled with injuries.

Under head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2011 however, Smith enjoyed his strongest statistical season, leading the 49ers to their first NFC West division title and first playoff victory since 2002 — along with their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1997.

The following season, Smith sustained a concussion in the middle of the season and was replaced by Colin Kaepernick.

Despite posting strong statistical numbers during the season before the injury, Smith did not regain his starting position after he was medically cleared to play. Following the 2012 season, Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

In his first season with the team, he led them to a 9–0 start and their first playoff berth in three years.

Smith went on to guide the Chiefs to an eleven-game winning streak in 2015 and their first playoff win since 1994.

During his time with the Chiefs, he led the league in passer rating in 2017 and was named to three Pro Bowls.

Following the 2017 season, Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins and subsequently signed a four-year contract extension with them.

In his first season with them, Smith suffered a fractured leg during a sack that led to a lengthy recovery process, leaving his career in jeopardy.

Early life

Smith was born in Bremerton, Washington, on May 7, 1984, growing up in La Mesa, California. His father, Douglas D. Smith, was an executive director at Helix High School, which he attended.

As a starter for the Helix Highlanders during his junior and senior years, Smith led his team to a record of 25–1, 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 played with 2005 Heisman Trophy-winner (since vacated) Reggie Bush. Smith and Bush were later finalists for the 2004 Heisman, making it the first time a high school had two finalists at the same ceremony.

Smith was president of his senior class in high school, earned college credits through a program with San Diego State University and took a dozen Advanced Placement tests.

Personal life

Smith has a brother, Josh, and two sisters, Abbey and MacKenzie. One of Smith's great-grandfathers was an Austrian immigrant of Serbian descent who immigrated to the U.S. from the Austro-Hungarian Empire when he was 12 years old. To honor him, Smith, his brother, and his father are each tattooed with four firesteels, the traditional Serbian cross. Smith's uncle, John L. Smith, was a college football head coach until 2018, and his cousin, Chris Shelton, is a former Major League Baseball player. In 2014, Smith was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree by the University of Utah, where he also delivered the commencement speech for the graduating class. He married former Oakland Raiders cheerleader Elizabeth Barry in 2009. They have two sons and a daughter.

In 2007, Smith founded the Alex Smith Foundation and the Alex Smith Guardian Scholars Program, which helps send foster teens to college. He started the program with $500,000, and continues to personally fund the majority of the charity. The Boston Globe held up Smith's foundation as a model charity that properly allocated its funding, noting that it raised over $800,000 from 2008 to 2010 and spent 91 percent of the funds on scholarships and grants.

Since recovering from his injury, Smith has participated in a number of inspirational speaking events including TED, American Bankers Association's Emerging Leaders Forum, and to the Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team. Smith has also partnered with brands including Oofos Recovery Footwear and clothing brands like Linksoul and Attitude is Free, the latter of which he created his Just Live collection. 100% of the proceeds from the collection are donated to the Center for the Intrepid where he spent most of his rehabilitation process.

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College career

Smith wore number 11 at the University of Utah and appeared for the Utah Utes. He came in fourth in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy and was named as the 2004 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. Smith started at 21–1 as a starter in college and was leading a high-powered spread offense under head coach Urban Meyer, while under head coach Urban Meyer, he led a high-powered spread offense. In the 2003 Liberty Bowl and the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, he led the Utes to victories. Smith earned a bachelor's degree in economics and started working on a master's degree before being drafted.

Professional football career

Smith finished in 4.7 minutes in the 40-yard dash and had a 32-inch vertical leap at the NFL combine. On the Wonderlic exam, he received a score of 40 out of 50.

Mike Nolan, the San Francisco 49ers' first overall pick, had hired a head coach with a strong personality. Nolan also reviewed California quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but did not agree that Rodgers' demeanor could coexist with him. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, selected by the San Francisco 49ers. Smith agreed to a six-year, $49.5 million deal with the 49ers in July 2005; the deal contained $24 million in guaranteed funds.

Smith played in nine games in his rookie season, finishing with a knee injury and being taken in and out of the lineup by head coach Mike Nolan, throwing only one touchdown pass and throwing 11 interceptions.

Smith began the 2006 season with a new offensive coordinator (Norv Turner) and an upgraded set of offensive weapons around him. Vernon Davis, the 49ers' top draft pick, was used on tight end. They also upgraded their offensive backfield, trading underachieving running back Kevan Barlow to the Jets, making Frank Gore the feature back.

Smith spent the off-season with his new coordinator, wide receivers, and tight end, as well as trying to improve his technique and add bulk. Smith's second year, particularly early, was helped by the improved offensive cast, which was evidently helping him grow. Smith's first three games of the season saw him throw three touchdowns, no interceptions, and amass 814 yards. He then threw for three touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders, setting a career-high. However, Smith returned to his early pains in the next five games, throwing only six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite his struggles, he led the 49ers on a three-game winning streak in November.

During a game against the Vikings on November 5, 2006, Smith met Joe Montana for the first time. Joe Montana and his teammates wore the 1989 team's throwback jerseys. The 49ers went on to win 9–3, defeating the Minnesota Vikings.

The 49ers took to Seattle for a Thursday Night Football match against their division rivals in need of a statement game. Cris Collinsworth said during a game on NFL Network that he had not started an NFL franchise, he'd have brought the Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler past Alex Smith and fellow rookies Matt Leinart and Vince Young before Alex Smith and the others, and that Smith was not even close to the others. The 49ers were trailing the Seahawks 7-3 going into the 4th quarter, and getting a win seemed unlikely. Smith, on the other hand, did a fine job in the fourth quarter and led the 49ers on a long touchdown drive down the field early, taking a narrow 10–7 lead. Smith struck again in the quarter, with the same score, rolling to the left and giving the 49ers a 10-point lead. Smith clinched the victory by leading another touchdown drive and rushing for a touchdown on a naked bootleg. "Alex Smith is the best I've ever seen him," Collinsworth said earlier in the game. "That was the best I've ever seen," and with a remark on his touchdown run, he said, "What a second-half he's had" says the narrator.

The 49ers' last game of the 2006 season was against a Denver Broncos team aiming for a playoff berth after losing to the Cardinals the following week. The 49ers beat the Broncos and knocked them out of the playoffs, causing the Broncos out of the playoffs. Smith threw for 194 yards and a touchdown during the game at INVESCO Field, leading to the team's comeback victory for the second time in three weeks.

Smith also 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 up from his rookie year. In 2006, he became the first 49ers quarterback to play all snap from center over the course of a season.

Smith spent three seasons as the third offensive coordinator. The San Diego Chargers' Norv Turner was hired as the head coach. Turner was fired by Jim Hostler after being displaced. Hostler's system was based on a combination of Turner's offensive system and elements of Mike McCarthy's West Coast offense. The 49ers announced wide receiver Darrell Jackson, Ashley Lelie, and rookie Jason Hill as new offensive targets for Smith during the off-season.

Smith led the 49ers to a 20–17 victory in a two-minute comeback in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. Smith stifled the field with less than two minutes remaining, highlighting a 25-yard scramble. He completed a 22-yard pass to Arnaz Battle that was fumbled on the one-yard line but recovered by a 49er so the ball was returned to the one-yard line with 26 seconds remaining. Battle for the game-winning touchdown was a game-around in the following game. Smith finished the game 15 for 31 yards with 126 yards and two rushes for 37 yards.

Smith suffered his right shoulder after being sacked by Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard in the first quarter of a game against the Seattle Seahawks on September 30. Smith suffered a grade-three drop, and the initial diagnosis was that surgery would not be needed. Smith did not play in the next three games before returning to the 49ers' starting lineup on Sunday, October 28, 2007.

The 49ers did not win another game until November 25. Smith had a lower passer rating than Smith (57.2), which was much lower than the league average of 60 percent. Smith was in doubt with 49ers head coach Mike Nolan over the severity of his injury. Smith did not recover from the injury, according to Nolan, who was encouraged by players from the Seahawks, but Smith continued to throw correctly. Following Smith's injury in the Seahawks game on November 12, Nolan decided to place him on hold, and they also started Trent Dilfer to allow Smith's shoulder to recover. Following the decision, orthopedic surgeon James Andrews said that the shoulder did not heal as well as Andrews expected, and that Smith was put on injured reserve for shoulder surgery, extending his season.

Smith, a freshman in 2007, began training camp for the starting quarterback job with Shaun Hill, who played in both of the games he started in 2007, before suffering a back injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith will be working under the guidance of former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator and St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was fired and suspended in four seasons. Martz's regime was completely different from those of the previous three seasons, where offensive continuity was somewhat maintained. Smith's first job in training camp was to O'Sullivan, who was promoted to starting quarterback partly due to his involvement with Martz's offense when he was a Detroit Lions fan.

After Dr. James Andrews announced the team's diagnosis of a fractured bone in his shoulder that had seened through the bone, the 49ers inserted Smith on injured reserve on September 10, the team's suspected of a broken bone in his shoulder, which may have been caused by a wire left in his shoulder from the previous surgery, which had sawed through the bone. Regardless, Scot McCloughan, the 49ers' general manager, said the 49ers were supposed to fire Smith before the 2009 season, but they will owe him $9,625,000.

Since Nolan was fired on October 20, 2008, the 49ers expressed interest in keeping Smith on file for the 2009 season if he were able to renegotiate his contract. The 49ers reported on March 10, 2009, that his employment had been properly restructured and that he would continue with the team. He took a huge pay cut to stay with the 49ers, but the 49ers' chairman, with whom he will be under contract for the next two years, would be a big salary cut. Smith's base salaries were expected to make $4 million a season in 2009 and 2010, in comparison to base salaries that were not immediately apparent. He was expected to make $24.6 million in the first two years in his previous employment.

Smith said he was able to contend for the starting quarterback position, notably against Shaun Hill after the pay cut.

Mike Singletary, the interim head coach, was fired in 2008 after a fruitful tenure as the interim head coach, and Singletary was fired as the offensive coordinator due to the major differences in offensive philosophy between himself and Singletary. Jimmy Raye II was hired to replace him, marking Smith's fifth change offensive coordinator in five seasons. The 49ers selected Michael Crabtree to be the starter in Smith's NFL debut during the offseason. Smith lost the competition for the starting quarterback job to Shaun Hill after restructured his deal with San Francisco. However, Smith was recalled in the third quarter of Hill's game against the Houston Texans, after Hill had failed and the Niners faced a 21–0 deficit in the first quarter. Smith led the team back with three touchdown passes, all to tight end Vernon Davis, but the team fell short of victory, 24-21. Smith was named the 49ers' starting quarterback at his weekly press conference on October 26, and he was named as the 49ers' starting quarterback the next day.

Smith, the 49ers' starting quarterback, showed signs of improvement after his return to the team's 3–4 record in his first seven starts. He led the 49ers to victory, 20–3, over the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were thrown for 232 yards and two touchdown passes on a 96.8 passer rating. He played in Week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks, the NFC West division rival, for the first 300-yard passing game of his career, throwing 27 of 45 passes with two touchdown passes. With an 8–8 record, he finished the season with 2,350 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Smith began as the starting quarterback in the 2010 season. For the first time in his career, he returned under the same offensive coordinator from the previous season as Raye was retained. However, continuity in a bad system resulted in the team's start, which started 0–5, and quarterback Mike Johnson was fired and replaced by quarterback Mike Johnson on September 27, and quarterback Mike Johnson took the team from the team. Smith was supposed to play a version of the spread offense under Johnson. With their two first-round picks to provide more cover, the 49ers continued to build their team. Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati were drafted to assist with more safety. Smith was named one of the team's captains on September 8, according to Coach Singletary.

Smith wasbooed at home and the crowd applauded for his replacement, David Carr, before leading the 49ers to two scoring drives to close within three points. However, he was struck as he threw on the third drive attempt, resulting in an interception and a 24–27 loss, putting the 49ers to 0–5. Smith sustained an injured shoulder in the 49ers' Week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers and was unable to participate in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos in London. Troy Smith, who had 14 games of playing in the NFL before joining the 49ers club right before the regular season, was fired. After winning two consecutive games against the St. Louis Rams and the Denver Broncos, Troy Smith took Smith's position.

Troy Smith was demoted to backup in place of Alex Smith after losing to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13 that left the 49ers with a 4–8 record. In Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks, Smith will start against the 49ers in a game the 49ers must win to maintain NFC West playoff contention.

Smith admitted that his results have to be more consistent. The 49ers appeared in San Francisco on December 12, 2010, when they were based in San Francisco. After the first two performances, Smith was booed by the Candlestick crowd. However, the boos soon changed to applause as Smith led the 49ers to a 40-21 victory over a division foe. With three games remaining to play, the 49ers dropped a game behind the division champions (Rams and Seahawks). Nonetheless, the 49ers lost the following game against the San Diego Chargers and Troy Smith played the following game against the Rams. Troy Smith struggled in the loss to the Rams, and Alex Smith was forced to play in the game. Singletary was suspended after the game, and Alex ended the season against the Cardinals. Smith was a free agent after the season ended, and the 49ers lost 6–10 on the season. "You gotta have a quarterback," Singletary said after his firing. Smith had played in just 19 games in his 50 games from 2010 to 2010.

Sporting News selected him as the 11th-best actor in sports in 2010.

Jim Harbaugh was the 49ers' new head coach, and Greg Roman replaced Johnson as the new offensive coordinator. In Smith's second season, Harbaugh, a former quarterback, was the best coach the 49ers had since Norv Turner. Harbaugh told Smith that he had been accepted back on the team. Smith's family wanted him to leave San Francisco. Despite being unsigned, Smith supervised the players' workouts during the 2011 NFL lockout and helped to install Harbaugh's new offense. Smith also signed a one-year $5 million contract with the 49ers after the lockout came. Smith was named the starting quarterback for the regular season, and Harbaugh believed Smith would do well in the coach's West Coast offense.

Smith's game showed measurable growth, particularly in his leadership and intangibles, during the season. Even though he did not put up big numbers, he did a good job for the 49ers win games by being creative, minimizing mistakes, and controlling the clock. Smith led the team from a 23–3 deficit to a 23-23 victory in Week 4's road game against the Philadelphia Eagles, winning 24–23, for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter alone. Smith won his third straight road victory of the year with a six-yard fourth and a goal touchdown pass to tighten Delanie Walker, beating the Lions 25–19 in Detroit. He went for 19 out of 30 passes for 242 yards in a week-ten matchup against the New York Giants. The 49ers' run game was shut down (Frank Gore was held to zero yards on six carries before being dismissed from the game in the second half), and Smith was instrumental in the 27-20 triumph.

Smith had helped lead the 49ers to a 13–3 record in the regular season, including five come-from-behind victories, four of which were on the road, and the 49ers earned a first-round bye in the playoffs, and the 49ers had won five games in the regular season. Smith will make his first playoff appearance after three head coaches, seven offensive coordinators, and 17 different starting wide receivers over the seven seasons with the 49ers.

Although the 49ers won their first games since 1997, they did it while ranking 29th of 32 teams in the NFL in total passing yardage for 2011 (including yardage lost from sacks), and Smith was often referred to as a game manager. Smith, according to The New York Times, he was "a steady, if unspectacular player surrounded by a solid team" in 2011, whose career year "underscored how much he suffered before." In passing yards with 61.3 percent and 2nd rushing, it was his first season with over 3,000 yards passing, and he set new personal single-season highs in virtually every important statistical category commonly used for quarterbacks: in passing yards with 445, in total passing yards with 61.3 percent, with 91 percent, and in total touchdowns with 19 (17 passing and 2 rushing), though being suspended a league-high 44 times. He set a league-low 5 interceptions in 2011 and set a new personal single-season record in the league's lowest interceptions rate in the league this year.

Smith led the 49ers to victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs, with a final score of 36-32. When rushing for an extra touchdown, Smith threw for 299 yards, three touchdown passes, and no interceptions. In the final 4:02, Smith led touchdown drives of 80 and 85 yards. He scored on a 28-yard touchdown run and finished with a game-winning 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with nine seconds remaining, eschewing a more conservative open receiver who might have called for a field goal and a tie. "Alex Smith won the game, not Alex Smith, not because he didn't make mistakes," analyst Ron Jaworski said. His result won the game for them." In the final three minutes of a game, Smith became the first quarterback in NFL playoff history to have two go-ahead touchdowns. In the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers lost 20–17 in overtime to the New York Giants. Smith completed 12 of 26 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, but the team turned the ball over twice on special teams. Smith was selected by teammates as the winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, which is annually given to the player who exemplifies a commitment to sportsmanship and courage. Smith was selected to the All-Joe Team, the highest accolade given to the best players not to make the Pro Bowl.

Following the 2011 season, Smith became a free agent. According to reports, the 49ers were keen on signing Peyton Manning, who had just been released by the Indianapolis Colts, prompting Smith to visit the Miami Dolphins, presumably with the intention to sign Manning. Smith signed a three-year deal worth $24 million to remain with the 49ers just short of Manning's decision to join the Denver Broncos. The 49ers and A. J. Jenkins were brought together in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft to remedy a passing game that had poor results from the receivers the previous season. Smith debuted as the 49ers' starting quarterback in the 2012 season. In a 24–3 victory over Arizona on Monday night, Smith had 18-of-19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, and San Francisco was 6–2 after eight games. Smith suffered a concussion in the second quarter of the game against the St. Louis Rams, throwing a touchdown with blurred vision before leaving the game. Colin Kaepernick was sent home, and the game ended in a 24–24 draw.

In a 32–7 victory over the Chicago Bears, Smith did not play in the following game, while Kaepernick was 16 for 243 yards with two touchdowns. Harbaugh was impressed with Kaepernick's work, saying "we have two quarterbacks with a hot hand" when dismissing any suggestion that a player should not miss their starting job due to an injury. A quarterback controversies has erupted. Smith finished third in the NFL in passer ratings (104.1%) and led the league in completion percentage (70%), and was 19–5–1 as a starter under Harbaugh, while Kaepernick was deemed more versatile with his scrambling skills and arm strength. Smith was medically cleared to play the day in the following game, but Harbaugh refused to rush him back and forth started Kaepernick, who threw and ran for a touchdown in a 31-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Harbaugh revealed next week that Kaepernick would play for the 8–2–1 49ers, as well as that the position was not purely permanent. However, Kaepernick remained the starter as the 49ers qualified for the playoffs. Smith had been more of a mentor to Kaepernick late in the 2012 season than ever before, according to Harbaugh. Smith was on track to record career highs in completion percentage, passing yards, yards-per-attempt, passing touchdowns, and rushing yards before losing his starting quarterbackship. Smith was named as the team's captain for the second year in a row, and he also served as the team's captain.

The 49ers traded Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs for the Chiefs' second round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and a conditional pick in the 2014 NFL Draft on February 27, 2013. On March 12, the agreement was announced at the start of the new league season.

Smith will be the starting quarterback for the 2013 season after the trade was confirmed. During OTA's (Organized Team Activities, a term often referring to NFL pre-season games), Smith's position as the starter was solidified (Organized Team Works). Smith had a high "football IQ" and his passing ability was praised as the best any had ever seen, according to coaches and teammates. Smith was "very smart" and had all of the intangibles he was looking for in a quarterback, according to Kansas City's quarterbacks coach. With Smith winning his first nine regular-season games and nine touchdowns, the Chiefs became the last unbeaten team in the 2013 NFL season, with 1,919 passing yards in comparison to four interceptions. On December 15, 2013, Smith received his first and only flawless passer rating. In a victory over the Oakland Raiders, he was 17 of 20, with 287 yards and 5 touchdowns, four of whom went to Jamaal Charles. In the AFC Wild Card Round, Alex Smith and the Chiefs lost to Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts on January 4, 2014. Smith threw four touchdowns on 30 of his 46 pass attempts for 378 yards and no interceptions, while still carrying the ball 8 times for 57 yards. However, he did make a mistake by committing his team's only turnover, losing a game. The Colts' final score of the game was 45–44.

Smith was named as a replacement for Tom Brady in his first Pro Bowl at the end of the season. Smith led all quarterbacks in yards, tied for most touchdowns, and led the game-winning touchdown drive that culminated in him to DeMarco Murray for a 22–21 victory.

Smith and the Chiefs also agreed to a four-year deal extension on August 31, 2014. Smith played in 15 games and made 63.3 percent of his passes in the 2014 season, throwing for 3,265 yards and 18 touchdowns to only six interceptions. Nevertheless, the Chiefs had a 9-7 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.

Smith was selected as an alternate in the Pro Bowl after another good season in 2015, but he turned down the invite. He led the Chiefs to the playoffs once more, when the Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 30–0 in the Wild Card Round. In the victory over the Texans, Smith threw for 190 yards, a touchdown, and an interceptor. He ran five times for 27 yards and had a 64-yard scramble, but it was called off due to a holding penalty. In the Divisional Round, the Chiefs lost 27-20 against the New England Patriots. The Chiefs became the first team to start the season 1-5 and win a playoff game. Sports Illustrated named him the best-looking quarterback in the NFL at the end of the season, an honor previously won by Tom Brady. Along with safety Eric Berry, he was named team MVP for 2015 in honor of his contribution to the team. Smith threw for 3,486 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in the regular season, with a completion percentage of 65.3, passer rating of 95.4, and 7.4 yards per attempt. He's also ran 84 times for 498 yards, two touchdowns, and an average of 5.9 yards per carry. He was voted the 81st best player by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

After facing a 24–3 third quarter deficit, Smith led a fourth quarter comeback over the San Diego Chargers to win the game 33–27 in overtime. Smith won the game in overtime with a two-yard rushing touchdown. When the Chiefs began the 2016 season on a positive note, this was the most significant comeback win in Chiefs history. Despite missing one game, Smith finished with 3,502 and a career-high 328. In addition, he had a career-high five touchdowns, with three of them coming in the last three games. He helped the Chiefs return to the playoffs, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round. For the second year in a row, he ranked 81st among the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

The Chiefs beat the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 42-27 on the road in season opener. Smith had 368 passing yards and four touchdowns. Smith's 368 passing yards and four passing touchdowns were his second most in a game in his career. Smith's success in Week 1 led to all eligible passers in yards and named him As the first time he was rewarded with the honor. Smith had 366 passing yards and four touchdowns against the New York Jets in Week 13. Smith threw two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce in the first quarter after the first two minutes and 46 seconds had passed. However, the Chiefs' results were overshadowed as defensive penalties and mistakes proved to be costly, as the Chiefs lost on the road by a score of 38-31. Smith made history by defeating the Jets by beating the 70-yard pass and a 70-yard run in a single game.

Smith was given a rest in Week 17, and the Denver Broncos' 2017 first round pick Patrick Mahomes made his NFL debut against the Denver Broncos. Smith finished the 2017 regular season with 4,042 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, both career highs. He was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl, eventually replacing the injured Philip Rivers. Smith finished with 4,042 passing yards (8th in the NFL), 26 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a league-leading 104.7 passer rating in the 2017 season. In the narrow 22–21 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round, Smith had 264 passing yards and two touchdowns. He has also been credited with the Mahomes' construction.

Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins in exchange for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick (78th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft on January 30, 2018. On March 14, the first day of the new league year, the trade was official. Smith also signed a four-year, $94 million contract extension with them.

Smith threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns in his Redskins debut in a 24-6 road victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He helped Washington win by a 6–3 record in the first nine games of the season.

Smith sustained a spiral and fibra fracture in his right leg after being suspended by Kareem Jackson and J. J. Watt during a game against the Houston Texans on November 18, 2018. The injury related to former Washington quarterback Joe Theismann, who fractured his leg in a game 33 years ago and then retired shortly after. During the game and saw the injury, Theismann was also present and watched the game.

Smith contracted life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis that culminated in sepsis, requiring him to perform 17 surgeries, including eight debridements, in four separate hospital stays over a period of nine months. Doctors had predicted that an operation above the knee would be his only alternative before undergoing skin grafts and a muscle transfer from his left quadriceps to save it.

Smith used an external fixation unit for almost a year as part of his recovery process. In 2019, he was on the team's physically fit to function (PUP) reserve list, and he missed the entire season. Despite the severity of the injury, many believed he would never recover from, he promised to return in early 2020. In May 2020, an ESPN documentary about his recovery, Project 11: Following his recovery, aired on ESPN. He was cleared by his doctors to return to football in July 2020, but the team's physical condition kept him off the list of those unable to perform list would cause him to return to training camp until it was activated on August 16, 2020.

In Week 5, Smith made his first game appearance since being injured against the Los Angeles Rams in 2020. Kyle Allen was released with an arm injury and finished with nine completions for 37 yards after being sacked six times as Washington lost 30-30. Smith made his first appearance in Week 9 after Allen left the game with a dislocated leg, where he threw for 325 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions in a 23-20 loss to the New York Giants. Smith started against the Detroit Lions the following week, throwing 55 times for 38 completions and 390 yards, all career highs, in a 30-27 road loss. In a 20–9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith won his first game since the injury. He was instrumental in leading Washington to a 23–17 upset victory over the 11-0 Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. He was forced to miss the remainder of the game and the next two weeks due to a bone bruise in his right leg, which was described as calf soreness at the time.

In the 20-14 victory over Washington clinched the NFC East, Smith played for 162 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he did not participate in the Wild Card Round 31-23 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to persistent bone bruise problems. Smith was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press, Sporting News, and Pro Football Writers of America in December (PFWA).

Smith was released by the team on March 5, 2021. Despite attracting the attention of several organizations, he announced his resignation on April 19, 2021. He was named the winner of the George Halas Award by the PFWA in June.

Broadcasting career

Smith joined ESPN in August 2021 to work as an NFL analyst for SportsCenter and Monday Night Countdown, among other ESPN services.

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