An off-season deep dive:
Alex Smith underwent a total of 17 surgeries on his right leg after suffering a devastating compound fracture during a game in 2018. The injury occurred during a sack, and it was compounded by a severe infection called necrotizing fasciitis. The surgeries were necessary to save his leg and life, and they included debridements to remove infected tissue and limb salvage procedures
Following the initial surgery, Smith developed necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating bacteria.
Smith spent months in the hospital and had to use a wheelchair, walker, and crutches before finally being able to walk again.
Despite the severity of the injury and the long recovery process, Smith returned to the NFL in 2020 and even started a game for the Washington Football Team.
inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class last December. The honor comes three years after earning his spot in Utah's Hall of Fame.
When NFL legend Alex Smith and his wife, Elizabeth, learned their daughter Sloane had brain cancer, they felt like their world was crashing down. “You think you have been through a lot, but when it's one of your kids, nothing prepares you for a moment like that,” the former NFL quarterback said.
https://www.si.com/college/utah/football/alex-smith-and-wife-reveals-8-year-old-daughter-had-third-10-hour-brain-surgery