Washington QB Alex Smith suffered one of the more horrific leg injuries you’ll ever see during an NFL game this afternoon against the Houston Texans. The injury occurred in the third quarter on third and nine when Smith was sacked by Kareem Jackson and J.J. Watt while scrambling out of the pocket while getting his leg caught underneath him.
If you have a weak stomach, I suggest you continue to scroll down.
Here’s Alex Smith’s leg injury. pic.twitter.com/TMYDT1ULko
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 18, 2018
Smith ended up being carted off the field in an air cast and will immediately undergo immediate surgery for a broken tibia and fibula with his season obviously over.
The bad news the #Redskins were dreading: QB Alex Smith will have surgery right away on a broken tibia and fibula. A stellar season is over.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 18, 2018
What’s ironic is Smith’s injury comes 33-years to the day that Joe Theismann suffered a very similar injury while with Washington in a game against the New York Giants.
Theismann also tweeted his support for Smith and commented on the similarities between the two injuries.
Alex’s leg is exactly like mine 33 yrs ago
— Joe Theismann (@Theismann7) November 18, 2018
I feel so bad for him.
— Joe Theismann (@Theismann7) November 18, 2018
Theismann ended up not playing another game after that play due to problems with the way the bone healed in his recovery. Essentially the healing process left one leg longer than the other for Theismann and he was forced into retirement at the age of 36. Obviously there’s no indication at this point as to how Smith’s career will be affected or if he’ll be forced into retirement despite the eerie similarities to Theismann’s injury. Medical science has come a long way in 33 years and its my guess that Smith will be back on the field at some point in the future.