He said all he needed to in a two-word tweet: “Incredible story.”
Watching from a Memphis sports bar was a very interested party in Alex Smith’s comeback: Former Washington Football quarterback Joe Theismann, who suffered a career-ending injury on his own brutal leg injury in 1985.
“It’s absolutely phenomenal,” Theismann told The Washington Post about seeing Smith return to the NFL after missing nearly two years following a brutal leg injury. “I’m living vicariously through Alex right now.”
Related
Theismann, who kept the faith that Smith could complete the long comeback from 17 surgeries after a gruesome leg injury, was nervous to see the veteran quarterback return to the NFL, but excited to see him complete his journey.
“I know the hill he’s had to climb,” Theismann said. “I don’t care what anyone else does this year in the league; he’s the comeback player of the year right now.”
But Theismann told NBC Sports Washington he was also quite nervous for Smith coming off the long layoff.
"I was nervous for him," Theismann said after the game Sunday. "I wanted him to get through it. I wanted to see him get hit. I wanted to see him move. I know the exact things that I went through after about two, two-and-a-half years when I started working out for different teams, and I really wanted to come back, but my leg wasn't ready. I couldn't make certain movements."
Related
Like Smith, Theismann said he was glad to see the quarterback take a hit, but only because he was able to get back up and stay in the game.
"Oddly enough, it sounds a little crazy but when he went down in a pile there and got sacked and got up I was very relieved that he could take the hit," Theismann told NBC Sports.
Smith survived the first hits - he was sacked six times by the Los Angeles Rams - but the play on the field must improve, next. Smith had just 37 yards passing and a 58.7 passer rating.
Related
