What happened to Alex Smith? NFL's greatest comeback story

The motivations behind renaming the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award after quarterback Alex Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, will go much beyond the fact that he returned to the field after a horrific leg fracture put his life in danger.

After 16 NFL seasons — more than any Hollywood screenwriter could have possibly imagined — Smith announced his retirement on April 19, 2021. in his heartfelt Instagram announcement of his retirement.

The 49ers selected Smith with the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft. Smith was traded to Washington in 2018, which marked a new chapter in his extraordinary football career. Smith, full of confidence after finding a team that would support him, helped Washington to a 6-3 record.

Football is the cruelest in the sport, and on Nov. 18, 2018, Houston's Kareem Jackson and JJ Watt joined up for a sack. Smith's right leg's fibula and tibia both sustained complex fractures. It was considered the most horrific football injury of the previous 25 years.

People were surprised to see Smith return to action in October 2020, nearly two years after his injury. The man, who couldn't walk for months due to a bulky metal knee brace, was now running on the field like any other athlete.

He came in after Kyle Allen left with an arm injury and finished with nine completions for 37 yards while being sacked six times in Washington's 30-10 loss. Smith returned in Week 9 after Allen left the game with a dislocated ankle, throwing for 325 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions in a 23-20 loss to the New York Giants.

Smith started against the Detroit Lions and finished with a career-high 55 attempts, 38 completions, and 390 yards through the air in a 30-27 road loss.

The Associated Press, Sporting News, and Pro Football Writers of America named Smith the NFL Comeback Player of the Year after the season.

Driving over every obstacle put in his path throughout Smith's entire NFL career characterized him. He left as a hero, a lesson in fortitude that goes well beyond the sport he played. Even the most well-known NFL players will eventually fade from our recollections as players come and go. Yet Smith's amazing adventure will live on in our memories forever.

Alex Smith’s injury and aftermath

Alex Smith: Dallas Cowboys v Washington Football Team

The Texans tackled Smith in the backfield on Nov. 18, 2018. Smith's right leg was caught at an odd angle and he had a complex fracture, breaking both the tibia and fibula.

Smith's recovery was exacerbated by a flesh-eating bacterial infection that developed after his initial operation. Smith had to have 16 further surgeries after the initial procedure in order for his leg to fully recover.

Smith still needs to wear a specialized titanium brace to protect his leg after he returned to the field after losing a lot of tissue during the surgery.

The flesh-eating infection started to spread a few days after Smith's initial surgery and caused major issues.

Smith's life was in danger due to the infection. Smith was septic, which meant he was releasing a lot of chemicals into his blood to try to fight the illness. Organ harm could have resulted from the chemicals. Smith's right leg would have needed to be amputated above the knee if doctors hadn't been able to get rid of the infection.

According to ESPN, Smith needed more than 10 further surgeries to get the infection under control, including a muscle transplant and microvascular surgery. Smith's medical staff didn't give the go-ahead for him to return to the field until July 2020.

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