The reports on Alex Smith's recovery from his gruesome leg injury are increasingly cringe-worthy.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo offered some updates that support the reports from earlier this week that Smith has had additional surgery to remove infected tissue.
"I mentioned the other day that they are removing some infected tissue, that's what they had to do when they go in there for the leg," he told the set of NFL Network's Good Morning Football. "That's why he's had multiple surgeries, I'm told close to half a dozen surgeries."
From @gmfb earlier on #Redskins QB Alex Smith’s battling an infection in his leg and the complications that led doctors to remove the implants they initially inserted pic.twitter.com/vLbKmNQax1
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 8, 2018Garafolo throws out the timeline on Smith's return, which was at one time optimistic for next season. Now, as Eric Bickel said on the Sports Junkies earlier this week, the chances of him playing again are in jeopardy.
David J. Chao, a former NFL head team doctor and practicing orthopedic surgeon, tweeted infection is always a worry with an injury like Smith's, but surgery and antibiotics mean it "is rarely a long term complication."
#AlexSmithInfection always a worry with open fracture (where bone pokes thru skin from inside out), but with quick surgical action and antibiotics, osteomyelitis is rarely a long term complication. https://t.co/u4YAsnjfkR
— David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) December 6, 2018The good news for Redskins fans is that, at least as of NFL insider Ian Rapoport's report on Thursday, Smith himself was still optimistic about a return.
Follow Brian Tinsman and 106.7 The Fan on Twitter.
