81 Facts About Alex Smith

Alexander Douglas Smith was born on May 7,1984 and is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 16 seasons.

Alex Smith was selected first overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 NFL draft.

Alex Smith struggled with consistency and injuries until 2011 when he led the 49ers to their first division title and playoff win since 2002, along with their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1997.

The next year, a concussion resulted in Alex Smith losing his starting position to backup Colin Kaepernick.

Alex Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, who he guided to four playoff runs between 2013 and 2017, their first consecutive division titles in franchise history, and their first playoff victory since 1993 in the 2015 season.

Alex Smith received three Pro Bowl selections with the Chiefs and led the league in passer rating in 2017.

Alex Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins in 2018 to make way for Kansas City's second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but was credited with helping develop the future NFL MVP.

Alex Smith became Washington's starter midway through the season, leading the team to a division title and earning him NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Alex Smith retired during the 2021 offseason after he was released by Washington.

Alex Smith was born in Bremerton, Washington, on May 7,1984, and grew up in La Mesa, California.

Alex Smith's father, Douglas D Smith, was an executive director at Helix High School, which he attended.

Alex Smith was named to the first-team all-conference and all-county squads in the San Diego CIF system.

Alex Smith earned the conference offensive player of the year twice, and twice won the team MVP for Helix.

Alex Smith was president of his senior class in high school, earned college credits through a program at San Diego State University, and took a dozen Advanced Placement tests.

Alex Smith attended the University of Utah and played for the Utah Utes, wearing number 11.

Alex Smith finished fourth in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy and was selected as the 2004 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year.

Alex Smith led the Utes to victories in the 2003 Liberty Bowl and the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

Alex Smith earned a bachelor's degree in economics in two years and began work on a master's degree before being drafted.

At the NFL combine, Alex Smith recorded a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash, and had a 32-inch vertical leap.

Alex Smith scored 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test.

Alex Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft, selected by the San Francisco 49ers.

In July 2005, Alex Smith agreed to a six-year, $49.5 million contract with the 49ers; the contract included $24 million in guaranteed money.

Alex Smith spent the off-season working daily with his new coordinator, wide receivers and tight end, while working to improve his technique and add bulk.

The improved offensive cast clearly helped Alex Smith develop in his second year, especially early.

Alex Smith met Joe Montana for the first time on November 5,2006, during a game against the Vikings.

Alex Smith became the first 49ers quarterback in club history to take every snap from center over the course of a season in 2006.

Alex Smith entered the 2007 season learning under a third offensive coordinator in three seasons.

Alex Smith suffered a grade-three separation and the initial diagnosis was that surgery would not be required.

Alex Smith missed the next three games before returning to the 49ers' starting lineup on Sunday, October 28,2007.

Alex Smith was at odds with 49ers head coach Mike Nolan over the severity of his injury.

Nolan publicly implied that Alex Smith was not fighting through the injury, while Alex Smith felt that the injury still affected his ability to throw accurately, an account that was supported by players from the Seahawks.

Alex Smith lost the starting job in training camp to O'Sullivan, who was elevated to starting quarterback, partly due to his familiarity with Martz's offense when he was a member of the Detroit Lions.

Alex Smith took a considerable pay cut to remain with the 49ers, with whom he would be under contract for the next two years.

Alex Smith was to make $4 million a season in 2009 and 2010, in addition to base salaries that were not immediately made known.

Under Johnson, Alex Smith was expected to run a variation of the spread offense that he ran in college.

In Week 5, Alex Smith was booed at home and the crowd chanted for his backup, David Carr, before leading the 49ers to two scoring drives to close within three points.

Alex Smith suffered an injured shoulder in the 49ers week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers and was not available to play Week 8 against the Denver Broncos in London.

Alex Smith was replaced by Troy Smith, who had 14 games of experience in the NFL before joining the 49ers organization just before the start of the regular season.

Troy Alex Smith took Alex Smith's position after winning two straight games against the St Louis Rams and the Denver Broncos.

Alex Smith would start against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14 in a game the 49ers needed to win to stay in contention in the NFC West.

Alex Smith acknowledged that his performances needed to be more consistent.

Alex Smith was booed by the Candlestick crowd after the first two plays.

However, the 49ers struggled the following Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers and Troy Alex Smith started the following game against the Rams.

Troy Smith struggled in the loss to the Rams and Alex relieved Troy Smith in that game.

Alex Smith was named the starting quarterback heading into the regular season, and Harbaugh believed Alex Smith could succeed in the coach's West Coast offense.

Alex Smith threw for 299 yards, three touchdown passes, and no interceptions while rushing for an additional touchdown.

Alex Smith led touchdown drives of 80 and 85 yards in the final 4:02.

Alex Smith scored on a 28-yard touchdown run, and he threw a game-winning 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with nine seconds remaining, eschewing a more conservative open receiver that would have settled for a field goal and a tie.

Alex Smith was chosen by teammates as winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, annually awarded to the player that exemplifies a commitment to sportsmanship and courage.

Alex Smith made the USA Today All-Joe Team, an award which is given to the best players not to make the Pro Bowl.

The 49ers were reported to be interested in signing Peyton Manning, who had just been released by the rebuilding Indianapolis Colts, leading Alex Smith to visit the Miami Dolphins, reportedly with the intent to sign with the Dolphins if the 49ers signed Manning.

Shortly after Manning made the decision to join the Denver Broncos, Alex Smith signed a three-year contract worth $24 million to remain with the 49ers.

Alex Smith began the 2012 season as the 49ers' starting quarterback.

Harbaugh stated that Alex Smith had been more of a coach to Kaepernick later into the 2012 season than even he was.

Alex Smith was named to the USA Today All Joe Team for the second year in a row, and was named the captain of the team.

The Chiefs were the last unbeaten team in the 2013 NFL season with Alex Smith winning his first nine regular-season starts, gaining 1,919 passing yards with nine touchdowns compared to four interceptions.

Alex Smith earned his first and only perfect passer rating on December 15,2013.

Alex Smith was 17 of 20 with 287 yards and 5 touchdowns, four of them going to Jamaal Charles, in a victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Alex Smith threw four touchdowns, completing 30 of his 46 pass attempts for 378 yards and no interceptions, while carrying the ball 8 times for 57 yards.

Alex Smith was elected to his first Pro Bowl at the end of the season as a replacement for Tom Brady.

Alex Smith threw for 190 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the victory over the Texans.

Alex Smith rushed five times for 27 yards, and had a 64-yard scramble, which was called back due to a holding penalty.

Alex Smith was named team MVP for 2015 alongside safety Eric Berry.

Alex Smith rushed 84 times for 498 yards, two touchdowns, and an average of 5.9 yards per carry.

Alex Smith won the game in overtime with a two-yard rushing touchdown.

In 2016, Alex Smith posted a career-high passing yards with 3,502 and a career-high 328 completions despite missing one game.

Alex Smith helped lead the Chiefs to the postseason, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round.

Alex Smith was ranked 81st by his fellow players, for the second consecutive year, on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

Alex Smith's 368 passing yards and four passing touchdowns were both the second most in a game in his career.

Alex Smith finished the 2017 regular season with 4,042 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, both career highs.

Alex Smith was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl, eventually replacing the injured Philip Rivers.

Alex Smith was credited as being instrumental in the development of Mahomes who would go on to be named NFL MVP in his first year as a starter and win multiple Super Bowls with the Chiefs.

On January 30,2018, Alex Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins in exchange for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Alex Smith subsequently signed a four-year, $94 million contract extension with them.

Alex Smith was placed on the team's physically unable to perform reserve list in 2019, missing the entire season.

Alex Smith was cleared by his doctors to resume football activities in July 2020, with the team placing him on the physically unable to perform list to begin training camp before being activated on August 16,2020.

Alex Smith joined ESPN in August 2021 to serve as an NFL analyst for SportsCenter and Monday Night Countdown, among other programs for the network.

Alex Smith married former Oakland Raiders cheerleader Elizabeth Barry in 2009.

One of Alex Smith's great-grandfathers was an Austrian immigrant of Serbian descent who immigrated to the US from the Austro-Hungarian Empire when he was 12 years old.

Alex Smith started the program with $500,000, and continues to personally fund the majority of the charity.

In 2014, Alex Smith was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree by the University of Utah, where he delivered the commencement speech for the graduating class.