Everyone knows the ordeal Alex Smith went through after the horrific injury in 2018, which almost cost him his leg. After 17 surgeries and 2 years of intense rehab, no one ever really expected him to play football again.

But he defied all the odds, and returned in Week 5 of the 2020 season. Not only that, but he went on to lead a 4-7 Washington team to victory against the 11-0 Steelers (after also sustaining an injury to his OTHER leg, when he was cleated during the game).

Watching Smith take the field in his first game back was monumental and emotional for all fans, regardless of their team allegiance. We all want to see him do well, and we all recognize that he’s defied so many odds to put on that helmet and those cleats once more.

There’s no comeback story as moving or awe-inspiring as Alex Smith’s. Which is why we, as fans of the game who have nothing but respect for what it’s taken for Smith to return to the NFL, call for the Comeback Player of the Year Award to be renamed in his honor.

From this year onwards, we want the NFL to rename it: the Alex Smith Award.