Former President Barack Obama Congratulates ‘Friend’ Alex Smith On Return From Injury
Oct 12, 2020, 3:02 PM | Updated: 3:03 pm
U.S. President Barack Obama (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) and Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Football Team (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Former President Barack Obama shared a congratulatory message on social media to his friend and former Utah quarterback Alex Smith, who played in his first NFL game in nearly two years because of a significant injury.
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On Sunday, October 11, the current Washington Football Team quarterback entered the game against the Los Angeles Rams in relief of starter Kyle Allen.
Prior to kickoff, President Obama posted a short message on Twitter to congratulate Smith on being active for the first time since 2018.
“And congratulations to my friend Alex Smith, for fighting back from a life-threatening injury to start at quarterback again for the Washington Football Team,” President Obama tweeted. “It’s a testament to his strength, determination and the love and support of his family.”
And congratulations to my friend Alex Smith, for fighting back from a life-threatening injury to start at quarterback again for the Washington Football Team. It’s a testament to his strength, determination and the love and support of his family. https://t.co/R3PO0jjFbf
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 12, 2020
Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States of America and served from 2009-17.
Although Smith was not a member of Washington’s roster during Obama’s administration, the White House is located less than 15 miles from FedEx Field, where the NFL plays.
In his first game back, Smith went 9/17 for 37 yards. He also had a carry for one yard on the ground.
Alex Smith completes his first pass with his family in attendance. #WashingtonFootball
📺: #LARvsWAS on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/CevNBQXQTS— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020
Washington fell 30-10 to Los Angeles and moved to 1-4 on the season.
On Monday, October 12, Washington head coach Ron Rivera said that Allen would retain his starting position over Smith if he was healthy enough to play.
Washington’s next game is against the New York Giants on Sunday, October 18 at 11 a.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on FOX.
Alex Smith’s 2018 Injury
After Smith went down with the injury vs. Houston, doctors attended to him and determined the injury was significant and immediate surgery was required.
Days after his initial surgery, Smith developed a fever and his leg became infected with flesh-eating bacteria.
Alex Smith in the last 21 months:
➡ Suffered gruesome leg injury
➡ Underwent 17 surgeries in nine months
➡ Endured life-threatening complicationsNow he’s back practicing on a football field. (via @washingtonNFL) pic.twitter.com/T3edkQSKq4
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2020
Following the development of the infection, doctors consulted with Smith’s wife to determine the next steps in helping the QB.
Ultimately, amputation wasn’t chosen and the fight to save Smith’s leg continued. The quarterback underwent multiple surgeries remove the dead tissue from his leg.
Respect pic.twitter.com/i8fe5EUL4s
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) October 12, 2020
In total, Smith experienced 17 surgeries.
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Alex Smith’s NFL Career
Smith has played in the NFL since 2005.
The former Mountain West Conference Player of the Year was drafted out of Utah by the San Francisco 49ers with the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
He’s been a member of the Niners, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington.
What a journey it's been 🙌
📺: #LARvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/tB1yfEJvti
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) October 11, 2020
In 2018, his first season with Washington, Smith passed for 2,180 yards with a 62.5 completion percentage. He threw 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 10 games before going out with the injury.
Through 166 career games, Smith has completed 62.4 percent of his throws for 34,068 yards, 193 touchdowns, and 101 interceptions.
Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).
