Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes Celebrate Alex Smith's Return to Football
Following the news that former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith had been activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrated Smith's return to the game.
Smith, who quarterbacked the Chiefs for the first portion of Reid's tenure in Kansas City (2013-17), suffered a catastrophic leg injury in his first year as the quarterback of the Washington Football Team.
After Sunday's news of Smith's activation, Reid expressed his excitement for his former quarterback in a press conference with reporters later that morning.
“I’m so happy for him," Reid said. "I know how he is — he’s dirty tough and he loves playing the game. He didn’t want to end the way it ended with the leg, so now he’s back. We all saw the special on him and the rehab that he went through, that day in and day out grind of the rehab, so I’m happy for him. I’m very, very happy for him, and I’m happy for the Washington team too.”
Reid referred to "the special," being ESPN's E60: Project 11, which told the story of Smith's injury and recovery, which included 17 surgeries, nearly costing Smith his leg and seriously threatening his life.
Mahomes, who sat behind Smith during his rookie season and frequently credits Smith for his mentorship over the course of that year, also expressed his excitement for his former teammate.
"It’s an amazing thing," Mahomes said. "I talked to Alex – I texted Alex before the season got going, before training camp got going, him just being there and him just being able to get cleared by his doctors and now getting cleared by the Washington doctors and being able to go out there and be able to perform. It just shows the grit that he has, and I mean, he’s someone that has helped me out a ton in my career and he’s always persevered and I just expect him to keep persevering as his career goes on.”
While the specifics of Smith's future remain somewhat uncertain, his story is already a remarkable one and his impact on the Chiefs' franchise won't be forgotten for at least as long as Reid and Mahomes are in Kansas City.
