The Fall of Alex Smith

What in the name of Tim Couch has happened to Alex Smith?

If you take a closer look, past the recent shoulder injury, past the loss of his starting job, and even past now being labeled as a bust, you have to ask yourself: How the heck did we get here?

The truth is, the blame cannot and should not be put squarely on Alex Smith’s shoulders. As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Smith entered the league with as much hype as any quarterback in recent memory, only to throw one touchdown to 11 interceptions.

This less-than-desirable outcome had the San Francisco front office shaking their heads, wondering if they had made the right decision. Then came signs of progress in year two, with Smith posting admirable sophomore numbers, throwing for 16 touchdowns and almost 3,000 yards.

Now, two years later, all we can remember is Smith as the underachieving, athletic quarterback that could never grasp the system, find his receivers, and realize his potential.

But therein lies the problem: the system.

Smith was set up for failure from day one by having a different offensive coordinator in each of his four seasons in the league. This inconsistent base of schemes, coaching, and talent around him ultimately led to his own inconsistent play, lack of confidence, and even spats with Head Coach Mike Nolan.

Clearly, that has been overlooked. Instead of getting the guidance and support a No. 1 pick should, Smith was used by Nolan as the scapegoat and kicked to the curb in favor of two other guys who went undrafted.

Shaun Hill and J.T. O’Sullivan, not Alex Smith, were the front-runners for the 2008 starting-quarterback position. And what had Smith done to deserve such a lack of backing by his front office and coaches?

He had done nothing but respond to their direction for three years, try his hardest to adapt to new scheme after new scheme, and despite progression, each year brought change and an inevitable drop in his play.

Looking back at the 2005 draft, where Aaron Rodgers dropped to the 24th pick, it’s disturbing how it all worked out. The guy that sat behind the biggest icon in the league, worked his way into the starting lineup by forcing Brett Favre out, and Smith was stuck backing up a guy who was only on the team because he had a heads-up on the offense.

In the Bay area, the land of “If you’re not Montana or Young, then get out,” Smith never really stood a chance. All that athleticism, all that potential, poise, and confidence—it meant nothing.

A once-promising career is ending before it could even begin. Why? Because Mike Nolan wants to save his own neck. While it remains to be determined if he will succeed in doing so, one thing he is succeeding at is for certain: He isn’t winning games, and he’s ruined Alex Smith’s career.

If anyone has been troubled by the recent Vince Young story, look no further than Smith’s timeline to tell you why Young’s state of mind is the way it is. It’s not just poor play that can cripple a player; sometimes it is the people around them.