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Alex Smith has come a long way in the last two years. Smith has made a comeback after 17 surgeries. At one point in 2018, Alex Smith wasn't sure if he would have a leg due to the infection.
During an interview on Outside the Lines, Alex Smith had this to say about his retirement:
"For me this all started as a father and husband. That's where it began, wondering what, if anything, I would be able to do with my again, with my wife again, to do some things with them I thought I had been taken away from me forever. I'm grateful."
After watching the interview, Alex Smith seems to be at peace with his decision to retire from the NFL. He looks like he's ready to start his life after football with his family. There's still the big question as to why the 16-year veteran decided to retire on Monday.
Did the leg injury in 2018 cause Alex Smith to retire?
During a game against the Houston Texans in 2018, Alex Smith suffered a compound leg fracture. Watching the injury take place, it seemed as if Alex Smith's career was all but over. During the recovery process, Smith had 17 surgeries because he caught an infection in the injured leg.
Alex Smith had to wear an external fixator on his leg for eight months. Over the course of eight months, Alex Smith developed drop foot. The journey back to the NFL was an amazing one and ESPN made a documentary on his recovery process.
Alex Smith had a lot of doubts during his recovery process. Once the doctors cleared those doubts, Smith had this to say:
"Two years ago, I was stuck in a wheelchair staring down at my mangled leg wondering if I'd ever be able to go on a walk with my again or play games with my kids in the yard. Putting my helmet back on was the farthest thing from my mind. I kept asking myself, 'All this for a stupid game?'"
Alex Smith turns 37-years-old next month before retiring as a free agent, and he met with his former college coach Urban Meyer. Meyer is now the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After the meeting both sides felt great about the deal, but Smith was already contemplating retirement.
Does Alex Smith's 2018 leg injury have anything to do with his retirement announcement? It's easy to say yes because Smith wants to be able to live his life to the fullest of his ability. The NFL is a long, rough game and anyone can be injured at any time.
With the injury that he sustained, there's a high chance of him re-injuring the same leg. Alex Smith made the best decision for himself and his family on Monday. He retired from football to make sure that he can spend time with his wife and still have the ability to play with his three children without being limited.
