The Redskins Announce Alex Smith Will Likely Miss All Of 2019 After Being Seen In Horrifying Leg Cast

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Alex Smith’s tenure with Washington will be put on hold for at least a full year and maybe possibly for an eternity. The 34-year-old suffered a stomach-churning leg injury against the Titans in Week 11, 33 years to the day after Joe Theismann’s infamously broke his leg for the same franchise.

Via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:

The Redskins are planning as if they won’t have QB Alex Smith next season, sources say. They believe he’ll miss the entire season with his broken leg issues and are acting accordingly. If he’s ready, they will be pleasantly surprised.

For anyone who saw Alex Smith’s horrifying leg apparatus at the Wizard’s game in his first public appearance since the injury, and the subsequent complications with infections, this should be of no surprise to you.

According to ProFootballDoc, Smith is wearing what is known as an ‘external fixator.’

Smith has an external fixator (a system of pins/wires with rods, like an erector set similar to the look of scaffold on the outside of a building) applied to his leg. This is necessary as the plates/screws holding the fracture were removed. A cast would not work due to the need to access the wound. The apparatus looks archaic and scary but is necessary in these situations.

In the wake of the injury, Rapoport reported, “No one has been able to definitively say he is going to play football going forward.”

Redskins president Bruce Allen told reporters Tuesday Smith is “well on his way to recovery” and added, “We’re optimistic. If anyone can come back, it’s Alex. I’m sure he wanted to shoot hoops at the game yesterday, but we’ll see.”

Smith has four years left on his deal and $22.1 million in bonuses.

[h/t NFL.com]

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Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.