This past January marked two years since the Kansas City Chiefs decided to part ways with veteran quarterback Alex Smith. The former top overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft was traded to the Washington Redskins to give second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes a chance to start, and the rest is history.
Smith was off to an encouraging start as the quarterback in Washington until suffering a gruesome career-threatening leg injury in 2018. The severe injury required several surgeries and battles with post-surgical infections, leaving many to wonder if he’d ever walk normally again, let alone play football.
As part of ESPN’s weekly magazine show, E:60, viewers are granted unprecedented access to Smith’s rehab in an episode titled ‘Project 11.’ The story is on how bad his injury was, post-operative infection, and Smith’s family making life-changing decisions regarding his intense recovery and rehabilitation. The untold story gave an in-depth look at Smith’s private life from that tragic day 17 months ago.
“No NFL player has ever been through what Alex Smith has,” said Andy Tennant, E60 executive producer. “He’s normally a very private person, but he wanted to document his road to recovery as well and as detailed as possible, with the hope that future players could use it as a road map. The access that he and his family granted to E60 is incredible, and viewers will see a story of strength, dedication, and perseverance.”
When @Redskins QB Alex Smith broke his leg in 2018, no one thought it would take 17 surgeries to fix. Here’s a look at #Project11 pic.twitter.com/lwcj1l0fV6
— E60 (@E60) April 28, 2020
Smith played four seasons in Kansas City, earning three Pro Bowl appearances. He may no longer be a member of the franchise but was a vital part of the team’s championship pedigree.