Looking Past Alex Smith

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When people hear the name “Alex Smith,” there are usually two reactions: “game manager” and “meh.” He is not the NFL quarterback who scares fans of opposing teams and when he’s ranked among the top starting quarterbacks in the league, names like Stafford and Eli Manning come before his. . . and that’s just ridiculous.

Smith’s journey started at the University of Utah while being coached by Urban Meyer – he put up impressive numbers after starting just two seasons: 66% completion percentage, 48 TDs, 8 Ints, 1,072 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. Those numbers make it obvious why he was taken first overall in the 2005 draft by the 49ers. . . at least at the time, it was obvious. Who knew that 23 picks later the Green Bay Packers would snatch up Aaron Rodgers?

For the rest of their careers, Smith and Rodgers have been linked and it’s not in the most complimentary of ways. Football pundits scoff at the Niners – in hindsight – saying that the 49ers passed up on an all-time great and for who? Alex Smith.

Never does anyone say “What if Aaron Rodgers got drafted by the 49ers? Would he still be the Aaron Rodgers we all know now?” The answer — “Probably not.” You see, Alex Smith was thrown into the fire – literally. He was expected to pull off miracles with a below average roster, a clueless front office and had to deal with this stellar list of head coaches: Mike Nolan, Mike Singletary, and Jim Tomisula. Aaron Rodgers? He got to sit behind a hall of fame quarterback for three years and when his time came to start, he was the face of a franchise that is one of the best run in the league, with a mastermind of an offensive head coach in Mike McCarthy.

Fate was made so that Alex Smith would have to struggle.

As we all know, it wasn’t until Jim Harbaugh became the head coach of the 49ers that we finally saw a coach build an offense around Smith’s strengths and we finally got to see what he could do. Nobody is saying that it was the most ridiculous season a quarterback could have, but what it did was give Smith back his confidence. Smith led the 49ers to a 13-3 record and became the NFL textbook definition of what a “game-manager” is. Then something weird happened. The phrase “game-manager” had been around for awhile, but now that it was tied in with Alex Smith – it now gained a negative aura about it. Being a quarterback who moved the chains and didn’t turn the ball over became seen as “meh.”

Fast forward and we come to Alex Smith getting injured and losing his starting job to the young quarterback with promise Colin Kaepernick. After nine games, Smith threw for 13 touchdowns with 5 interceptions at 70% completion rate – but after seeing how electric of a player Kaepernick was at the time – there was no going back.

Smith now found himself in Kansas City with Andy Reid. For five years in Kansas City, Smith showed the best version of himself. Smith threw for 102 touchdowns, 34 interceptions and posted an average of about 3400 yards a year. Reid was not only able to use Smith’s accuracy (finished the five years with a completion percentage of 65%) he also made good use of his legs which opened up the Kansas City offense. With Kansas City, Smith became a three-time pro-bowler and had the highest passer rating in 2017 with a digit of 104.7. What did all of that get him? Traded at the end of 2017, to once again – make way for another young quarterback.

Fate now finds Alex Smith, who is now 33 years of age and will be 34 by the season opener, with a pretty good offensive coach in Jay Gruden, but with a team in the Redskins who is very. . . “meh.” Washington is where Alex Smith’s career may very well end. Although this franchise has historically been one to make questionable decisions on both sides of the roster and has an owner who sometimes gives the impression that he lives in another world – SOMEHOW – it will fall on what Alex Smith “failed to do.” At this point, Alex Smith has heard it all – “draft bust” – “game manager” and now “passed his prime.” A good chunk of Smith’s career hurt him and it’s due to nothing else but bad luck and situations that he could not control.

Would he be an all-time great if he had a better situation? Nobody is saying that. Smith definitely has his limitations. He just deserved better is all.