Smith’s recovery expected to take 6-8 months
Thirty-three years to the day after the Redskins lost quarterback Joe Theismann to a broken leg, Alex Smith's season ended on an eerily similar injury in Washington's 23-21 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Smith broke his right tibia and fibula on a sack by Kareem Jackson midway through the third quarter. The quarterback's leg turned the wrong way, much the way Theismann's did when he was sacked by the New York Giants' Lawrence Taylor during a Monday night game in 1985. Theismann's injury ended his career.
"I know it was very painful for him and heartbreaking for a lot of people," Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. "He's a great guy and hard worker and one of the key leaders on this football team. These things happen in pro football, unfortunately. Just hate to see them happen with a guy like Alex."
Theismann attended the game and said he turned away after Smith went down.
"It brought back vivid memories," Theismann said.
Gruden said Monday that Smith's surgery went well, and that his recovery time is expected to be between six and eight months.
Colt McCoy is taking over Smith's starting job for the rest of the season, while the team signed veteran Mark Sanchez to back him up.
McCoy, who started for Cleveland and San Francisco earlier in his career, has appeared in just nine games over the past three-plus seasons with Washington. Practice is one thing, and McCoy realizes game action is a different experience.
"I've still got to knock a little bit of rust off and get ready on a short week," McCoy said after going 6 of 12 or 54 yards and a touchdown Sunday against Houston. "It's tough. Rams receiver Robert Woods makes a leaping catch against the Chiefs during the first half Monday night in Los Angeles. The game was not finished at press time. See Dispatch.com for the result.
It's not ideal. I think for me I've been here a little while. Haven't taken reps with these guys in three of four years, so I think there will be a little bit of a transition there, but probably more for me than for them."
Gruden said the Redskins signed Sanchez because of his
NFL experience and familiarity with offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh and quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Donnell from his time with the New York Jets. The NFL will return to Mexico City with a
regular-season game next year.
Less than a week after the league moved the high-profile ChiefsRams matchup from Azteca Stadium to Los Angeles because of the poor playing condition at the Mexico City venue, the NFL and Mexico's presidentelect confirmed the 2019 game. It will be the third match of a contract signed in 2016.
Commissioner Roger Goodell and Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador met before making the announcement Monday.
The date of the game and participating teams won't be known until the 2019 schedule is released in the spring.
Dallas Cowboys rookie receiver Michael Gallup is away from the team after being told following a victory in Atlanta that his brother had committed suicide.
Coach Jason Garrett said on his radio show that Gallup received the news after the Cowboys' 22-19 victory over the Falcons. Gallup didn't return to Dallas with the team, instead staying in Georgia with his family. His status for Thursday's game against Washington is unknown.