All hope is not lost for Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith after the devastating leg injury that ended his 2018 season.
There were questions as to whether Smith ever would be able to play football again after he suffered a compound fracture in his right leg during a Nov. 18 loss to the Houston Texans and then endured multiple surgeries. At one point, Smith was reportedly at risk of amputation due to an infection in the leg.
Now, he’s working his way back to the NFL, with one crucial kink to work out.
“I’ve got to conquer some more steps before I get there,” he told Fox 5 DC. “Learn to run again. That’s a big one. I’m already throwing. I already feel like throwing is not a problem. I feel like I can throw. But dropping, moving around, all that kind of stuff, change of direction.”
While he’s getting to a spot where he’s feeling good enough to at least contemplate his return, he is still required to wear an external fixator on his right leg for at least another four to six weeks. In the meantime, he said on a Fox 5 DC podcast, he’s playing basketball with his children, golfing, driving and working out while getting back into a normal routine.
Smith signed a four-year contract worth up to $94 million, with $71 million guaranteed, prior to the 2018 season. The Redskins never considered cutting him during the offseason, knowing they would take an approximate cap hit of $40 million. That didn’t stop them from drafting former Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins, hoping he will be the future of the franchise.