Is Alex Smith Mormon? Former Chiefs QB’s religious beliefs explored

In the same draft class that saw New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers selected at 24th overall, the San Francisco 49ers selected Alex Smith with the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft.

Smith's career has had its share of highs and lows, but he was resilient and overcame each setback. Although his ability to overcome such obstacles may have been aided by his religious beliefs, what religion does the former footballer practice?

As of the time of writing, there is no proof to support the whispers that Alex Smith is a Mormon. Despite claims to the contrary, Smith has never formally revealed his faith, and when he was still playing, he was even left off of a list honoring Mormon NFL players.

The 39-year-old's attendance at a Mormon-majority college in Utah is probably the main source of conjecture over his affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

However, we do know that Smith attended the University of Utah, a significant competitor of Brigham Young University, which is linked with the Mormon Faith.

The player went so far as to describe himself as:

"Not a football player who believes in God, but a man of God who happens to play football."

Alex Smith once suffered a football injury that was life-threatening

Alex Smith sustained a serious injury during a Washington Commanders game against the Houston Texans during the 2018 NFL season.

He suffered a fracture to his tibia and fibula, with bone piercing through his skin. The extent of the damage was likened to a battle injury, such as the usual wounds sustained by soldiers struck by missiles.

Later reports then indicated that Smith's wounded leg developed an infection, suggesting that the injury might have killed him in addition to ending his football career.

He spent months in a wheelchair after his leg had been reconstructed following 17 surgeries, with the assistance of screws, and muscle extracted from various regions of his body.

The news that Smith had decided to resume playing football surprised a lot of football enthusiasts. He made his comeback to the field in a 2020 Commanders game, following 693 days off it.

Despite starting just six of the eight games played, Smith finished the 2020 season with 1,582 yards, 168 completed passes, and six touchdowns, earning him the 2020 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

Smith's career came to an end in the offseason of 2021. He accumulated 35,650 total yards, 3,250 passes that were completed, 199 touchdowns, and three trips to the Pro Bowl.

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Alex Smith has solidified his status as one of the greats despite all the difficulties. Through the Alex Smith Foundation, the former Kansas City Chiefs star now gives kids in foster care the resources necessary to make their way to adulthood, making him an inspiration to people all throughout the country – not just within the four walls of a football field.