Childhood & Early Life
Alexander Douglas “Alex” Smith was born on May 7, 1984, in Bremerton, Washington, where his father Douglas D. Smith coached football at Olympic High School. The family moved to La Mesa, California, in 1987 after his father became an executive director at Helix High School, which he attended.
As a starter, he led the Helix Scotties to two San Diego CIF section championships and set a 25-1 record during his junior and senior years, earning two conference offensive player of the year honors.
Named MVP for Helix twice, he set the school record of six touchdowns in one game and registered the second-highest completion percentage ever in San Diego CIF.
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Professional Career
During the 2005 NFL Draft, Alex Smith was selected as the first overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers, and he signed a six-year deal in July. His rookie season was marred by injuries, but he recorded one touchdown pass and 11 interceptions from his 9 appearances.
He started all of the 16 games in 2006 and registered 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions from 2,890 yards with a 74.8 quarterback rating. He also set the club record of taking every snap from the center throughout the season.
In the 2007 season, he was instrumental in the team's fourth-quarter comeback wins against the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams in the first two games. He started all the seven games he played in, even though he had to rest for several games due to a right shoulder injury sustained while playing against the Seattle Seahawks on September 30.
He was placed on injured reserve for the 2008 season due to a broken shoulder bone from a previous botched surgery, and was retained for the next season with a pay cut. Making his debut as a third-quarter replacement during week 7, he pulled the 49ers from 21–0 to 24–21, and was named the starting quarterback for the next games.
He went on to start 10 games during the 2009 season, including his first 300-yard passing game, and finished with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He again started 10 of the 11 games of the following season, registering 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but his performance was inconsistent and he sustained another shoulder injury during weeks 8-13.
He returned to form in the 2011 season, during which he started all the 16 games and led the team to a 13–3 record with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions for 3,144 yards. He helped the team to their first playoff win and their first NFC Championship Game since 1994, which they lost to the New York Giants 20–17 in overtime.
A free agent, he considered joining the Miami Dolphins in 2012 before signing a 3-year contract with the 49ers, and went on to start in 9 of 10 games he played, registering a 6-2-1 record.
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He was set to record several career-high numbers when he was replaced as starting quarterback by Colin Kaepernick, and yet made into the 'USA Today All Joe Team' second time in a row.
Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2013 season, he started all the 15 games he played in and secured an 11-5 record and a playoff berth for the team. He registered then-career-highs for attempts and completions and earned his first Pro Bowl selection, later leading all quarterbacks in yards and tying for most touchdowns in a 22–21 win in the 2014 Pro Bowl.
He signed a four-year contract extension with the Chiefs in 2014. As a starter, he completed 303-of-464 passes for 3,265 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, but missed the playoffs finishing with 9-7. However, he helped the team secure a postseason berth with 12-4 in the 2015 season, during which he registered 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions from 3,486 yards, completing 307 of 470 passes.
He registered the second-longest NFL streak of 312 passes without an interception after Tom Brady's 358 and helped the Chiefs in defeating the Houston Texans by 30-0 in the AFC Wild Card Round.
He jointly shared the club's 'Derrick Thomas Award' and the team MVP honor for 2015, and was named the best looking quarterback in the NFL by 'Sports Illustrated'.
He led the team's largest comeback win against the San Diego Chargers in week 1 of the 2016 season, which he ended with a career high 3,502 passing yards and 328 completions.
In the next season, he helped the team secure a playoff spot with a career-high 4,042 passing yards, as well as 26 touchdowns and five interceptions, and replaced injured Philip Rivers for the 2018 Pro Bowl.
He was traded to the Washington Redskins before the 2018 season and helped the club to a 6–3 record before fracturing his right leg in a game against the Houston Texans on November 18, 2018. He underwent 17 surgeries over a month and nearly lost his leg due to infection, but has recently claimed that he is recovering quickly enough to make a comeback.
Family & Personal Life
In 2009, Alex Smith married former Oakland Raiders cheerleader Elizabeth Barry. With her, he has two sons, Hudson and Hayes, and a daughter named Sloane. The couple is actively involved with the Hope House, a Kansas City based organization dedicated to preventing domestic violence.
He founded the Alex Smith Foundation and the Alex Smith Guardian Scholars Program in 2007 to support teenagers from foster homes going to college. His foundation was named a model charity by 'The Boston Globe' for proper allocation of its funding.
Facts About Alex Smith
Alex Smith is an avid collector of vintage typewriters and has a passion for restoring them to their former glory.
In his spare time, Alex Smith enjoys playing the guitar and has been known to serenade his teammates during team bonding events.
Alex Smith is a dedicated volunteer at a local animal shelter, where he helps care for and socialize with the animals.
Alex Smith has a love for cooking and is known for hosting elaborate dinner parties for his friends and family, showcasing his culinary skills.
One of Alex Smith's hidden talents is his ability to solve complex puzzles and riddles in record time, making him a formidable opponent in game nights with his teammates.
