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Alex Smith

QB (retired)

Alex Smith: facts drawn from the play-by-play.

16-year career (2005-2020). 3x Pro Bowler. 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. 35,650 career passing yards. The story of survival.

Milestone

Career honors snapshot

HonorCount
Pro Bowls3
Comeback POY1 (2020)
Career yards35,650
Career TDs199
#1 overall pick2005 (SF)

3 distinct phases: SF (struggle then resurgence), KC (efficient peak), WAS (the comeback story).

Trend

Smith season-by-season (key years)

YearTmYdsTDsINTs
2011SF3,639225
2013KC3,691277
2015KC3,922228
2017KC4,306285
2018WAS2,180105
2020WAS1,58268

Smith passing yards by year (peak)

SeasonYards
20113639
20133691
20153922
20174306
20201582

His Nov 18, 2018 broken tibia + fibula + flesh-eating bacteria nearly cost him his leg. He came back to start 8 NFL games in 2020.

Rare

Smith's recovery timeline

StageDetail
Nov 18, 2018Compound spiral fracture vs HOU
Dec 2018Necrotizing fasciitis, sepsis
201917 surgeries, external fixator
Aug 2020Cleared to play
Oct 11, 2020First game back (vs LAR)

From SF to KC he doubled his TD/INT ratio. KC unlocked the QB SF couldn't.

Split

Smith SF vs KC efficiency

PhaseTDsINTsTD/INT
SF (2005-12)81631.29
KC (2013-17)102333.09
WAS (2018-20)16131.23

He was 6-2-1 in 2012 SF when Harbaugh benched him for Kaepernick mid-season. SF reached the SB. Smith was traded.

Anomaly

Smith's 2012 mid-season displacement

DetailValue
Smith record6-2-1 starter
Smith Comp %70.0% (NFL #2)
Concussion weekWeek 10
Kaep takes overWeek 11
SF resultLost SB XLVII to BAL

His 2017 NFL passer rating (104.7) led the league — the only #1 overall QB to do so on a non-MVP year since 2000.

Comparison

NFL passer rating leaders (2010s)

YearPlayerRating
2011Aaron Rodgers122.5
2017Alex Smith104.7
2018Drew Brees115.7
2019Ryan Tannehill117.5

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