Alex Smith's Comeback Still Has a "Big Giant" Challenge

So far, Alex Smith’s comeback has been a Hollywood script. Quarterback rallies after a horrid broken leg that nearly claimed his life to return to the field. The inspirational story shows the aging veteran arising after 21 months of rehab to throw passes in practice.

And that’s where the movie may fade to black.

In real life, Smith doesn’t know the ending. Every part of the comeback that involved 17 operations left him focusing literally on the next step. His first steps re-learning to walk. Leaving the wheelchair. So many braces. Knee pain from where the metal rod for his leg was inserted. Even looking at his leg was a challenge that needed a long time to accomplish.

Those lingering doubts while lying in bed. Dreams or nightmares – they all ended with the same doubts. Could he play again? Should he play again? What would be his “new normal?”

“It hit you again every single day,” Smith said. “[Pre-injury life is] not coming back. There’s no going back. The first six months after injury build up a lot of walls in your head in terms of what you’ll ever be able to do again. Then you ty to knock those walls down slowly.”

Smith is now knocking down new walls in practice. His first pass was a sideline throw across the body in a seven-on-seven drill. Soon, he’ll participate in nine on nine and, if that works, 11 on 11 without hitting but feeling pass rushers swooshing the air around him.

“Felt so much more natural,” said Smith of his first throws on Aug. 18. “Would I be quick enough and strong enough? Just a few days in, how much more natural it felt. I wasn’t thinking about it. I was thinking more about football. It’s been nice to lose myself in that.”

Ron Rivera has been ever supportive of a player he has never coached. Read between his answers and you know he’s very protective of Smith. Rivera played the game for nine years. He doesn’t want to see another person walk away crippled in a sport that few truly escape unharmed.

Rivera has no real timeline on Smith’s return much less whether the former truly competes for the starting job. He’ll just watch Smith adjusting to increased practice demands.

“Your natural abilities have to come into play,” Rivera said. “That’s what we’re hoping to progress to . .. to see if he’s able to do it.”

The re-occurring theme over Smith’s 35-minute media session on Tuesday was an admission over his uncertainty of what happens next. He’ll always have some type orthotic protecting his leg and at age 36 is already past the twilight of an average passer’s career.

But Smith didn’t want to let him sons see him quit the game. He didn’t want to quit the sport. And so, Smith soldiers on despite not knowing what happens next.

“This is it,” he said. “This is the big giant one at the end to see if I can play quarterback again. . . .

“In the back of my head, you wonder if I’ll be able to do it again. Like running a marathon and being close to the end of the race. I want to see if I can do it. . . .

“There’s an end goal of actually playing at the highest level. … It will reveal itself. . . . It’s always obvious if you can do it or not for everybody and I don’t think it will be any different for me. . . .

“I’ve gotta see what I can do. . . .

“I’m not going to be ruled by fear. It’s easy to talk about it, but for me it’s trying to be about it. . . .”

But there’s one more motivation for Smith, who spent time with U.S. soldiers rehabbing from devastating injuries suffered on patrol. The soldiers inspired him so maybe his comeback inspires them.

“There’s so many things I’ve benefitted from, so much progress been made in limb injuries in the last 10 to 15 years,” he said. “Even 10 years ago I wouldn’t be able to be out there. . . . I owe it as well to push the limits for the next person in line.”

Rick Snider is an award-winning sports writer who has covered Washington sports since 1978. He first wrote about the Washington football team in 1983 before becoming a beat writer in 1993. Snider currently writes for several national and international publications and is a Washington tour guide. Follow Rick on Twitter at @Snide_Remarks