Finally, after a week under a storm cloud, Washington’s NFL franchise has received some good news.
Alex Smith’s surgical team has cleared the veteran quarterback to return to full football activity, Stephania Bell of ESPN reports.
Smith fractured his tibia and fibula in 2018.
Smith has said he was “very much lucky to be alive” following an infection in his leg that turned septic. It necessitated an extended process aimed at saving his life and then saving his leg.
Although Smith always sought to come back, the former No. 1 overall choice admits he had his doubts it would happen.
He spent the past few months in Hawaii with his family, where he rehabbed and trained. He did not know how well his right leg was healing until another round of imaging upon his return to Washington.
“Everyone was in agreement that my bone was in a really good place,” Smith told ESPN while filming his E:60 documentary. “I had healed a lot. They said that given the combination of the rod and where I was with the healing process, I had zero limitations and could even resume some football activities.
“To hear them say that, from a life standpoint, they wouldn’t restrict me from doing anything -- I could go skiing or snowboarding tomorrow if I wanted -- then on top of that, to get the green light that I could practice, get contact, that I had healed up, that much was pretty wild to hear. I didn’t know if I would ever hear those words.”
Smith will undergo a team physical and COVID-19 testing Monday at the team facility.
Smith, 36, acknowledged this is only the first step in his return to the playing field.
“For me, all eyes are on practice,” Smith said. “That’s the next step. I have to go prove to myself and certainly to everybody else that I can go practice.”
A month after taking the head coaching job, Ron Rivera brought up Smith unsolicited to reporters, alluding to a possible quarterback competition with Dwayne Haskins. Now, possibly, Smith will get a chance to do just that.