Barack Obama congratulates Alex Smith on return

Alex Smith was congratulated by Barack Obama for his miraculous return to the field

Alex Smith returning to the field Sunday for the Washington Football Team was nothing short of a miracle. His gruesome leg injury in 2018 could have cost him his life and seemingly ended any hopes of playing football again.

But there was Smith, playing quarterback for Washington less than two years after suffering the injury that had him in and out of the hospital for nearly a full year. The story is well-documented and is also a tale of perseverance for someone who clearly cares about the game of football. His return also brought him some congratulations from someone who has spent plenty of time in the D.C. area.

Barack Obama praises Alex Smith

This is very cool to see. Obama calling Smith his friend comes about because the quarterback’s sister worked with Michelle Obama. Thus, a powerful friendship was born.

Smith did not light it up in his return, finishing with nine completions for just 37 yards. However, him being on the field for even one play would have been an amazing comeback. Now he serves as a legitimate option if Kyle Allen is not ready to go and the team decides to keep Dwayne Haskins on the bench.

Having Obama call you his friend is quite the honor. Perhaps Smith has a career in politics if he wants it once his current contract is up. That contract runs through 2022, although the team can cut ties after this season for a dead cap hit of only $10.8 million. He got his $71 million guaranteed, so being let go would not be something to fault Washington for if or when it happens.

Getting this message of congratulations should help ease the pain from Sunday’s loss. At this point winning and losing may not even be at the top of Smith’s mind. Just being on the football field may seem like a dream to him after what he went through.