Gary Peterson: Former 49ers QB Alex Smith experiencing complications in badly broken leg

San Jose Mercury News (CA)

Dec. 06--There is news on the Alex Smith front, and it's not good.

Smith, whom the 49ers selected with the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft, is fighting infection in his right leg, in which two bones were broken on Nov. 18.

Smith, 34, in his first season with the Washington Redskins, had his fibula and tibia snapped when he was sacked by Houston's J.J. Watt. According to ESPN he has had multiple surgeries and remains in the hospital.

The Burgundy Blog posted the following tweet Wednesday night:

The Redskins issued a statement Thursday morning:

"On behalf of Alex Smith, we appreciate all of the concerns and prayers over the injury he incurred on November 18th against the Houston Texans.

"Although this is a serious injury, Alex and his family remain strong. We would ask that everyone please honor the Smith family's request for privacy at this time."

Smith spent eight seasons with the 49ers. He compiled losing records in his first six campaigns. He led the team to a 13-3 mark in 2011 and the 49ers were 6-2-1 in 2012 when he suffered a concussion. He watched as backup Colin Kaepernick guided the team to its sixth Super Bowl.

Smith was traded to Kansas City before the 2013 season and took the Chiefs to the postseason four times in five years. He was dealt to Washington last March and signed to a four-year, $94 million contract extension.

In an eerie coincidence, Smith broke his leg on the same date that Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann suffered the same devastating injury on a Monday Night Football game in 1985.

Speculation is rampant on Twitter concerning when or whether Smith will return to the field. Theismann was convinced he could, having recovered from a broken leg eight years prior. But it was not to be.

Per the Washington Post in a story published on the 20th anniversary of Theismann's injury: "The compound fracture in the tibia had led to insufficient bone growth when his leg healed, leaving the right slightly shorter than the left. For an NFL quarterback, it was the end of the line."

Theismann had to endure one last indignity. The life insurance company which issued a policy to him in the event of a debilitating injury insisted on confirming that Theismann could no longer stand the rigors of football.

"We had doctors and attorneys out at the old Redskins Park," Theismann told the Post. "They wanted to see me work out to see if I could play again. I went out on to the field to throw, and as I moved to my right, I was moving okay. When I tried to move to my left, I think I looked like Peg Leg Pete. The workout was supposed to last about 30 minutes. There were 15 people watching me when I started. When I turned my back at one point, I looked around and they were just about all gone. I said, 'Hey, wait, I'm not done,' and whoever was still out there said to me, 'Yes, you are.'"

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