Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith left fans in shock after posting a photo of his surgically repaired right leg on social media this weekend.
Smith made a miraculous comeback two years after suffering a spiral and compound fracture to his tibia and fibula in 2018. The injury turned out to be life-threatening as Smith was also diagnosed with sepsis.
He faced possibly losing the leg but ultimately underwent 17 surgeries to save it.
“I remember a really funny feeling in my leg,” he told GQ in 2021. “It wasn’t like I knew it was broken immediately. It went fuzzy. That’s what it felt like. And then it really was the visual when I looked down and could see, you know, that my leg obviously wasn’t straight anymore that told me that I had broken it.”
Six years later, he can afford to make light of the injury. The three-time Pro Bowler posted a photo of the leg to his IG story on Saturday, joking that he shouldn’t have used sunscreen on it. You can check it out here:
🚨INSANE: Alex Smith’s leg looks like this six years after shattering his tibia and fibula, the injury that nearly led to amputation & almost killed him.
😳
It’s a miracle he was able to play in an #NFL game after that pic.twitter.com/3XrdCs2Q1R
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 4, 2024
“HOLYYY SHIIITTTTT,” one fan wrote.
“He’s lucky to be even walking by the looks of it. Blessings to A Smith,” another noted.
“How the f*** was this man in the playoffs??? Absolute warrior,” a third remarked.
“It looks like they put a fake leg on his real leg,” a fourth observed.
“Wow that’s awful can he walk?” someone else asked.
“Sheesh, hopefully he can walk later in life,” another fan said.
“Damn how did he play again ?” someone queried.
Alex Smith Was The NFL’s Comeback Player Of The Year In 2020
Alex Smith shockingly returned to the field in 2020 and helped the Washington Commanders (then the Washington Football Team) clinch their division and make the playoffs en route to a Comeback Player of the Year win.
He retired the following year, calling curtains on his career after 16 years.
“I’m going to take a little time to enjoy a few walks with my wife, and my kids have no idea what’s coming for them in the backyard,” he said in an IG post.
He joined ESPN as an analyst shortly after.
