Alex Smith

Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Utah Utes, where he was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2004 and led Utah to a victory over Pittsburgh at the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, finishing in the national top-five. Following his college career, Smith was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. During his first six seasons for them, he played for a different offensive coordinator each year, and struggled with injuries. Under head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2011 however, Smith enjoyed his strongest statistical season, leading the 49ers to their first NFC West division title and first playoff victory since 2002 — along with their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1997. The following season, Smith sustained a concussion in the middle of the season and was replaced by Colin Kaepernick. Despite posting strong statistical numbers during the season before the injury, Smith did not regain his starting position after he was medically cleared to play. Following the 2012 season, Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. In his first season with the team, he led them to a 9–0 start and their first playoff berth in three years. Smith went on to guide the Chiefs to an eleven-game winning streak in 2015 and their first playoff win since 1994. As a Chiefs, only Tom Brady and Russell Wilson won more games as a starting quarterback during that time. He has been named to three Pro Bowls with the Chiefs, and led the league in passer rating in 2017. Following the 2017 season, Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins and subsequently signed a four-year contract with them. Smith suffered a fractured leg in a game that season, which led to a lengthy recovery that left his career in jeopardy.