Alex Smith

Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah. He started his first game during Week 5 of his rookie season, replacing former starter Tim Rattay. Though he started a total of seven games that season, he did not play well, throwing only one touchdown to eleven interceptions. In 2006, he was named the starting quarterback before the season and started all 16 games for the team, as well as seven games of the 2007 season. Nagging shoulder injuries would keep him out of eight games in 2007, and following shoulder surgery, he missed all of 2008. He returned in 2009 and alternated as starting quarterback with Shaun Hill. He went into the 2010 season as the team's primary starting quarterback, but shoulder injuries again kept him on the sideline for several games. He was named the team's starter for 2011 and started every game of the 2011 season. He helped lead the 49ers to a 13-3 regular season record in 2011. On March 20, 2012 he signed a new 3-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers worth a reported $24 million.

Early life
His father, Douglas D. Smith, was the Executive Director at the high school that Alex attended, Helix Charter High School, until June 30, 2010. His uncle is John L. Smith, former head coach for the Michigan State University Spartans’ football team. His second cousin is New York Mets first baseman Chris Shelton.

Born in Seattle, Smith grew up in La Mesa, California. As a starter at Helix during his junior and senior years Smith led his team to a record of 25-1, including two San Diego CIF section championships. He was named to the first-team all-conference and all-county squads in the San Diego CIF system. Smith also earned the conference offensive player of the year twice, and twice won the team MVP for Helix. During his time at Helix, Smith set a school record by throwing for six touchdowns in one game, and recorded the second-highest completion percentage in San Diego CIF history. While at Helix, he played with 2005 Heisman Trophy winner (since vacated) Reggie Bush. Smith and Bush were later finalists for the 2004 Heisman, making it the first time a high school had two finalists at the same ceremony.

Smith was president of his senior class in high school, and was also an excellent student who graduated with a 4.4 GPA one semester early by earning college credits through a program with San Diego State University and a dozen Advanced Placement tests.

College career
Smith attended the University of Utah and played for the Utah Utes, wearing number 11. He finished fourth in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy and was selected as the 2004 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. Smith posted a 21–1 record as a starter in college, while leading a high-powered spread offense under head coach Urban Meyer. He led the Utes to victories in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl and the 2003 Liberty Bowl. Smith earned a bachelor's degree in economics in two years with a 3.74 GPA, having matriculated with 64 credit hours, and began work on a master's degree in the field before being drafted.

NFL career
At the NFL combine, Smith recorded a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash, and had a 32-inch vertical leap. He also earned a score of 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic exam.

The San Francisco 49ers, who held the first overall pick, had hired a head coach with a strong personality in Mike Nolan. Nolan thought Smith to be cerebral, introspective, and non-confrontational. Nolan also evaluated Aaron Rodgers but did not believe that Rodgers' attitude could co-exist with him. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, selected by the San Francisco 49ers. In July 2005, Smith agreed to a six-year, $49.5 million contract with the 49ers; the contract included $24 million in guaranteed money.

2005 season
Dealing with an injury and being taken in and out of the lineup by then-head coach Mike Nolan, Smith played in nine games in his rookie season, recording just one touchdown pass, against the Houston Texans, while throwing 11 interceptions.

2006 season
After the challenges faced by his rookie campaign, Smith went into the 2006 season with a new offensive coordinator (Norv Turner) and an improved set of offensive weapons around him. The 49ers used their top draft choice on Vernon Davis, a tight end from Maryland. They also upgraded their offensive backfield, trading underachieving running back Kevan Barlow to the Jets, making Frank Gore the feature back.

Smith also spent the off-season working daily with his new coordinator, wide receivers and tight end, while working to improve his technique and add bulk. The improved offensive cast clearly helped Smith develop in his second year, especially early. Smith's first three games of the season saw him throw three touchdowns, no interceptions, and amass 814 yards. After struggling in Kansas City, he then threw for three touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders, setting a career high. However, the next five games saw Smith resume his growing pains, averaging only 153 yards per game while throwing only six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite his difficulty, he led the 49ers on a three-game winning streak in November.

Smith met Joe Montana for the first time on November 5, 2006, during a game against the Vikings. The 49ers wore the throwback jerseys of the 1989 team which Joe Montana and teammates wore. The 49ers went on to win 9-3, upsetting the Minnesota Vikings.

In need of a statement game, the 49ers traveled to Seattle for a Thursday Night Football game against their division rivals. During the broadcast on NFL Network, Cris Collinsworth noted that if he were starting an NFL franchise, he would have taken the Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler before Alex Smith and fellow rookies Matt Leinart and Vince Young - and that Smith was not even close to the others. Going into the 4th quarter, the 49ers were trailing the Seahawks 7-3, and pulling out a win looked unlikely. Smith however performed brilliantly in the fourth quarter, and drove the 49ers on a long touchdown drive down the field early, taking a narrow 10-7 lead. Late in the quarter, with the same score, Smith struck again - shaking off an almost certain sack, rolling to the left and completing a pass to Frank Gore for a touchdown to give the 49ers a 10 point lead. On the next drive, Smith cemented the victory by leading yet another touchdown drive, and rushing for a touchdown on a naked bootleg. Collinsworth had earlier in the game observed that "Alex Smith is the best I've ever seen him. That drive is the best I saw," and on seeing his touchdown run, commented "What a second-half he has had!".

After losing to the Cardinals the following week, the 49ers final game of the 2006 season was against a Denver Broncos team looking for a playoff berth. In a major upset, the 49ers defeated the Broncos and knocked them out of the playoffs. During the game at INVESCO Field, Smith threw for 194 yards and a touchdown, leading the team to a come from behind victory for the second time in three weeks.

Overall, Smith improved in his second year by throwing as many touchdowns as interceptions. He threw for 16 TDs, 16 interceptions, 2,890 yards and a 74.8 quarterback rating, all improvements over his rookie year. Alex also became the first 49ers quarterback in club history to take every snap from center over the course of a season in 2006.

2007 season
Smith entered the 2007 season learning under a third offensive coordinator in three seasons. Norv Turner was hired as the head coach by the San Diego Chargers. Jim Hostler replaced Turner. Hostler's system involved a mixture of the offensive system installed by Turner with elements of the West Coast offense installed by Mike McCarthy for the 2005 season. During the offseason, the 49ers added wide receivers Darrell Jackson, Ashley Lelie, and rookie Jason Hill as new offensive targets for Smith.

In the season opener on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, Smith led the 49ers to a 20-17 win in a two-minute comeback. While down 17-13 with less than two-minutes left, Smith drove down the field, highlighted by a 25-yard scramble. After the scramble, he threw a 22 yard pass to Arnaz Battle that was fumbled on the one-yard line, but recovered by a 49er so the ball was placed back on the one-yard line with 26 seconds left. The following play Battle ran an end around for the game-winning touchdown. Smith finished the game 15 for 31 with 126 yards and two rushes for 37 yards. Had Darrell Jackson not dropped a perfectly thrown pass in the end zone prior to Smith completing the comeback, his numbers would have been even better.

On September 30 in the first quarter of a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Smith injured his right shoulder after getting sacked by Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard. Smith suffered a grade-three separation and the initial diagnosis was that surgery would not be required. Smith missed the next three games before returning to the 49ers' starting lineup on Sunday, October 28, 2007.

The 49ers did not win a game again until November 25. Among all NFL quarterbacks who qualify for league statistics, only the Jets' Kellen Clemens had a poorer passer rating than Smith (57.2), Smith completed under 50% of his passes, far below the league average of 60%. Smith was at odds with 49ers head coach Mike Nolan over the severity of his injury. Nolan publicly inferred that Smith was not fighting through the injury, while Smith felt that the injury still affected his ability to throw accurately, an account that was supported by players from the Seahawks. Nolan decided to rest Smith following a loss in that game to the Seahawks on November 12 and start Trent Dilfer to allow Smith's shoulder to recover. Upon further examination following the decision, according to orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, the shoulder did not significantly heal as Andrews thought it would. Smith would not play again in the 2007 season. On December 11, 2007, Smith was placed on injured reserve to undergo surgery on the shoulder.

2008 season
Smith entered training camp competing for the starting quarterback job with Shaun Hill, who won both of the games he started in 2007, before suffering a back injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan. Smith would be learning under a fourth different offensive coordinator in four seasons; Jim Hostler was fired and replaced by former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator and St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator/head coach Mike Martz. Unlike the previous three seasons, where offensive continuity was somewhat maintained, Martz's system was completely different. Smith was announced as the second-string quarterback for the 49ers' initial preseason game against the Oakland Raiders on August 8, behind O'Sullivan, who was elevated to starting quarterback, partly due to his familiarity with Martz's offense when he was a member of the Detroit Lions. Smith threw five of nine for 51 yards. He again started as the second-string quarterback in an August 16 preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, which the 49ers won 34-6. O'Sullivan was named the starting quarterback against the Chicago Bears on August 21 in the third preseason game, where he performed extremely well, throwing 7 of 8 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Smith threw 6 of 17 for 83 yards and a touchdown.

On September 10, the 49ers placed Smith on injured reserve after Dr. James Andrews confirmed the team's diagnosis of a broken bone in his shoulder, believed to have been caused by a wire left in his shoulder from the previous surgery, which had sawed through the bone. Regardless, the 49ers' general manager, Scot McCloughan, said that the 49ers expected to release Smith before the 2009 season, when they would owe him a salary of $9,625,000.

After Nolan was fired on October 20, 2008, the 49ers expressed interest in having Smith remain for the 2009 season if he was willing to renegotiate his contract. On March 10, 2009, the 49ers announced that his contract had been successfully restructured and that he would stay with the team. He took a considerable paycut to remain with the 49ers, with whom he would be under contract for the next two years. Smith was to make $4 million a season in 2009 and 2010, in addition to base salaries that weren't immediately made known. In his previous contract, he was scheduled to make $24.6 million in the final two years.

2009 season


With Mike Singletary becoming the head coach after a successful term as the interim head coach in 2008, Martz was fired as offensive coordinator due to the huge differences in offensive philosophies and Jimmy Raye II was hired to replace him, marking the fifth different offensive coordinator in five seasons. During the offseason, the 49ers drafted Michael Crabtree to be the team's featured receiver that Smith had been lacking throughout his NFL career. After restructuring his contract with San Francisco, Smith lost the battle for the starting quarterback position to Shaun Hill. However, in a Week 7 game against the Houston Texans, Smith replaced him in the third quarter, after Hill had performed poorly in a 21-0 first half deficit. Smith led the team back with three touchdown passes, all to TE Vernon Davis, but fell short of victory, 24-21. Singletary named Smith as the 49ers' starting quarterback the next day at his weekly press conference on October 26.

After his return as the 49ers' starting quarterback, Smith displayed signs of progress, despite the team's 3-4 record in his first seven starts. He led the 49ers to a Week 12 victory, 20-3, against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing for 232 yards with two touchdown passes while posting a 96.8 passer rating. In a Week 13 match-up against the NFC West division rival Seattle Seahawks, he recorded the first 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 27 of 45 throws with two touchdown passes.

With one-and-a-half seasons on the Injured reserve list, the 49ers asked Smith to renegotiate his contract. After returning from his honeymoon in the Maldives, Smith agreed to a pay cut at an undisclosed amount. With the cut, Smith says that he is ready to compete for the starting quarterback spot, primarily against Shaun Hill.

He also worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom, covering Super Bowl XLIV.

2010 season
Smith entered the 2010 season as the starting quarterback. For the first time in his career, he returned under the same offensive coordinator from the previous season, as Raye was retained. However, continuity in a poor system resulted in the team starting 0-5, and on September 27, Raye was fired and replaced by quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson. Under Johnson, Smith was expected to run a variation of the spread offense that he ran in college. The 49ers continued to build their team having now drafted Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati with their two first round picks to provide more protection. On September 8, Coach Singletary announced that Smith was named one of the team's captains.

In week 5, Smith was booed at home and the crowd chanted for his backup, David Carr, before leading the Niners to two scoring drives to close within three points. However, he was hit as he threw on the third drive attempt, resulting in an interception and a 24–27 loss, dropping the Niners to 0–5. Smith suffered an injured shoulder in the Niners week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers and was not available to play week 8 against the Denver Broncos in London. He was replaced by Troy Smith, who had 14 games of experience in the NFL before joining the 49ers organization just before the start of the regular season. Troy Smith took Smith's position after winning 2 straight victories against the St. Louis Rams and the Denver Broncos.

However, following a loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13 that left the 49ers with a 4-8 record, Troy Smith was demoted to backup in favor of Alex Smith. The top pick of the 2005 draft would start against Seattle in Week 14 in a game the 49ers needed to win to stay in contention in the NFC West.

Smith acknowledged that his performances needed to be more consistent. On December 12, 2010 the 49ers played the Seahawks in San Francisco. Smith was booed by the Candlestick crowd after the first two plays. However, the boos turned to cheers after Smith helped lead the 49ers to a 40-21 victory over a division rival. The win moved the 49ers one game behind the division leaders (Rams and Seahawks) with three games left to play. However, the Niners struggled the following Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers and Troy Smith started the following game against the Rams. Troy Smith struggled in the loss to the Rams and Alex relieved Troy Smith in that game. After the game, Singletary was fired and he finished the season starting against the Cardinals. The 49ers finished the season 6-10 and Smith became a free agent after the season. After his firing, Singletary said, "You gotta have a quarterback." Smith had won just 19 games in 50 career starts through 2010.

2011 season
The 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh as the new head coach, and Greg Roman replaced Johnson as the new offensive coordinator. Harbaugh, a former quarterback, was the best teacher the 49ers had since Norv Turner in Smith's second season. Harbaugh made it known to Smith that he was welcomed back on the team. Smith's family wanted him to leave San Francisco. Although he was unsigned, Smith organized the players' workouts during the 2011 NFL lockout and helped to install Harbaugh's new offense. After the lockout ended, Smith signed a one-year $5 million contract with the 49ers. Smith was named the starting quarterback heading into the regular season, and Harbaugh believed Smith could succeed in the coach's West Coast offense.

During the season, Smith's game showed marked improvement, especially in his leadership and intangiables. While he did not put up big numbers like Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford and Eli Manning did that year, he helped the 49ers win games through efficient play, minimizing mistakes and controlling the clock. In Philadelphia in week 4, Smith rallied the team from a 23-3 second-half deficit to win 24-23, completing 9 of 9 passes for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns in the third quarter alone. Two weeks later Smith led his third come-from-behind road victory of the year with a six-yard fourth and goal touchdown pass to tight end Delanie Walker, beating the Lions in Detroit 25-19. In a week 10 matchup against the New York Giants, he completed 19 passes out of 30 attempts for 242 yards. The Giants shut down the 49ers' run game (Frank Gore was held to zero yards on six carries before leaving the game in the second half) and Smith was instrumental to the 27-20 victory. Smith led the 49ers to a 13-3 record in the regular season and a first round bye in the playoffs. It was his first playoffs in seven seasons after three head coaches, seven offensive coordinators, and 17 different starting wide receivers. He finished the season with a 61.3 completion percentage and a QB rating of 90.7, both career highs, as well as leading five come-from-behind victories during the regular season, four of which were on the road. He also had his first season with over 3,000 passing yards. Despite throwing only 17 touchdowns during the regular season, he also had a career low of 5 interceptions including a league best 1.1 percent interception rate. The 49ers finished 26th in the NFL in total offense. The New York Times wrote that Smith in 2011 was "a steady, if unspectacular, player surrounded by a solid team", whose career year "underscored how much he struggled previously." He was often referred to as a game manager.

In the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs, Alex Smith led the 49ers to a win over the New Orleans Saints, with a final score of 36-32. Smith threw for 299 yards, three touchdown passes with no interceptions while rushing for an additional touchdown. Smith led touchdown drives of 80 and 85 yards in the final 4:02. He scored on a 28-yard touchdown run, and he threw a game-winning 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with nine seconds remaining, eschewing a more conservative open receiver that would have settled for a field goal and a tie. Analysts Ron Jaworski said "Alex Smith won the game, not Alex Smith by not making mistakes. His performance won the game for them." Smith also became the first quarterback in NFL playoff history to lead two go-ahead touchdowns in the final 3 minutes of a game. The 49ers lost 20–17 in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. Smith completed 12 of 26 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, but the team turned the ball over twice on special teams. Smith was chosen by teammates as winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, annually awarded to the player that exemplifies a commitment to sportsmanship and courage. All though not going to the pro bowl despite getting close, Smith did make the USA All Joe Team which awards players that were good enough for the pro bowl but didn't get it.

Personal life
Smith has a brother, Josh, and two sisters, Abbey and MacKenzie. One of Smith's great-grandfathers was an Austrian immigrant of Serbian descent who immigrated to the U.S. from Austro-Hungarian Empire when he was 12 years old. To honor him, Smith, his brother, and his father are each tattooed with four firesteels, the traditional Serbian cross. Smith's sisters planned to do the same.

Smith married former Oakland Raiders cheerleader, Elizabeth Barry, in 2009. In May 2011, Alex and Elizabeth became parents to a baby boy named Hudson.

On March 31st, 2012, Smith joined the search for missing Bay Area teenager Sierra LaMar. Smith brought food and water for the volunteers, and headed out with one of the early morning search teams. He joined another search party the following week, this time joined by teammates Delanie Walker and Joe Staley.