Watch Alex Smith make his miraculous return to NFL football

Alex Smith might not win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, but his return to the field on Sunday was the league’s best story of the season.

A gruesome leg injury almost cost Alex Smith the ability to walk. Instead of succumbing to that sort of tragedy, the veteran quarterback miraculously made it all the way back to an NFL playing field on Sunday.

It had been 693 days since Smith had been an active part of an NFL roster. When Kyle Allen went out with injury after a nasty hit from Jalen Ramsey, Smith walked onto the field and completed a pass on his first play.

In fairness, whatever Smith does on the field from this point forward is a secondary story at best. The importance of his comeback is the story of the player’s triumph over what many believed to be insurmountable odds. Smith’s return to the field of play is a Disney movie waiting to happen.

Of course, fans of the Washington Football Team might have a different point of view. They will want to see Smith prove that he’s still capable of leading an NFL offense at a proficient level. That’s something that’s been absent for Washington this season under Dwayne Haskins, and, briefly, under Kyle Allen. At his best, Smith is an efficient quarterback that can use his arm and legs to keep his offense on schedule.

He may get a chance to showcase both in the second half of today’s game against the Rams. Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles front seven won’t be taking it easy on him. Smith will need to prove that he’s capable of both protecting himself and leading the Washington offense if he wants to turn this comeback story into something even more magical.