Alex Smith
Encyclopedia
Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is a professional American football
player and starting quarterback
for the San Francisco 49ers
of the National Football League
. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft
by San Francisco from the University of Utah
. He started his first game during Week 5 of his rookie season, replacing former starter Tim Rattay
, and though he started a total of seven games that season, he did not play well, throwing only one touchdown
to eleven interceptions. In 2006, he was named the starting quarterback before the season, and started all 16 games for the team, as well as seven games of the 2007 season. Nagging shoulder injuries would keep him out of eight games in 2007, and following shoulder surgery, he missed all of 2008. He returned in 2009 and alternated as starting quarterback with Shaun Hill
. He went into the 2010 season as the teams primary starting quarterback, but shoulder injuries again kept in on the sideline for several games. He has started every game of the 2011 season so far.
, former head coach
for the Michigan State University
Spartans’ football
team. His second cousin is New York Mets
first baseman Chris Shelton
.
Born in Seattle, Smith grew up in La Mesa, California
. As a starter at Helix during his junior and senior years Smith led his team to a record of 25-1, including two San Diego CIF section championships. He was named to the first-team all-conference and all-county squads in the San Diego CIF system. Smith also earned the conference offensive player of the year twice, and twice won the team MVP for Helix. During his time at Helix, Smith set a school record by throwing for six touchdowns in one game, and recorded the second-highest completion percentage in San Diego CIF history. While at Helix, he played with 2005 Heisman Trophy
winner (since vacated) Reggie Bush
. Smith and Bush were later finalists for the 2004 Heisman, making it the first time a high school had two finalists at the same ceremony.
Smith was president of his senior class in high school, and was also an excellent student who graduated with a 4.4 GPA one semester early by earning college credits through a program with San Diego State University
and a dozen Advanced Placement tests.
and played for the Utah Utes
, wearing number 11. He finished fourth in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy and was selected as the 2004 Mountain West Conference
Player of the Year. Smith posted a 21–1 record as a starter in college, while leading a high-powered spread offense under head coach Urban Meyer
. He led the Utes to victories in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl
and the 2003 Liberty Bowl
. Smith earned a bachelor's degree
in economics in two years with a 3.74 GPA, having matriculated with 64 credit hours, and began work on a master's degree
in the field before being drafted.
, Smith recorded a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash, and had a 32-inch vertical leap. He also earned a score of 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic exam.
The San Francisco 49ers
, who held the first overall pick, had hired a strong personality head coach in Mike Nolan
. Nolan thought Smith to be cerebral, introspective, and non-confrontational. Nolan also evaluated Aaron Rodgers
but did not believe that Rodgers' attitude could co-exist with him. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
, selected by the San Francisco 49ers. In July 2005, Smith agreed to a six-year, $49.5 million contract with the 49ers; the contract included $24 million in guaranteed money.
Mike Nolan
, Smith played in nine games in his rookie season, recording just one touchdown pass, against the Houston Texans, while throwing 11 interceptions.
) and an improved set of offensive weapons around him. The 49ers used their top draft choice on Vernon Davis
, a tight end from Maryland. They also upgraded their offensive backfield, trading underachieving running back Kevan Barlow
to the Jets, making Frank Gore
the feature back.
Smith also spent the off-season working daily with his new coordinator, wide receivers and tight end, while working to improve his technique and add bulk. The improved offensive cast clearly helped Smith develop in his second year, especially early. Smith's first three games of the season saw him throw three touchdowns, no interceptions, and amass 814 yards. After struggling in Kansas City, he then threw for three touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders
, setting a career high. However, the next five games saw Smith resume his growing pains, averaging only 153 yards per game while throwing only six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite his difficulty, he led the 49ers on a three-game winning streak in November.
Smith met Joe Montana
for the first time on November 5, 2006, during a game against the Vikings. The 49ers wore the throwback jerseys of the 1989 team which Joe Montana and teammates wore. The 49ers went on to win 9-3, upsetting the Minnesota Vikings
.
In need of a statement game, the 49ers traveled to Seattle for a Thursday Night Football game against their division rivals. During the broadcast on NFL Network, Cris Collinsworth
noted that if he were starting an NFL franchise, he would have taken the Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler
before Alex Smith and fellow rookies Matt Leinart and Vince Young - and that Smith was not even close to the others. Going into the 4th quarter, the 49ers were trailing the Seahawks 7-3, and pulling out a win looked unlikely. Smith however performed brilliantly in the fourth quarter, and drove the 49ers on a long touchdown drive down the field early, taking a narrow 10-7 lead. Late in the quarter, with the same score, Smith struck again - shaking off an almost certain sack, rolling to the left and completing a pass to Frank Gore for a touchdown to give the 49ers a 10 point lead. On the next drive, Smith cemented the victory by leading yet another touchdown drive, and rushing for a touchdown on a naked bootleg. Collinsworth had earlier in the game observed that "Alex Smith is the best I've ever seen him. That drive is the best I saw," and on seeing his touchdown run, commented "What a second-half he has had!".
After losing to the Cardinals the following week, the 49ers final game of the 2006 season was against a Denver Broncos
team looking for a playoff berth. In a major upset, the 49ers defeated the Broncos and knocked them out of the playoffs. During the game at INVESCO Field, Smith threw for 194 yards and a touchdown, leading the team to a come from behind victory for the second time in three weeks.
Overall, Smith improved in his second year by throwing as many touchdowns as interceptions. He threw for 16 TDs, 16 interceptions, 2,890 yards and a 74.8 quarterback rating, all improvements over his rookie year. Alex also became the first 49ers quarterback in club history to take every snap from center over the course of a season in 2006.
in three seasons. Norv Turner
was hired as the head coach
by the San Diego Chargers
. Jim Hostler
replaced Turner. Hostler's system involved a mixture of the offensive system installed by Turner with elements of the West Coast offense
installed by Mike McCarthy
for the 2005 season. During the offseason, the 49ers added wide receiver
s Darrell Jackson
, Ashley Lelie
, and rookie Jason Hill as new offensive targets for Smith.
In the season opener on Monday Night Football
against the Arizona Cardinals
, Smith led the 49ers to a 20-17 win in a two-minute comeback. While down 17-13 with less than two-minutes left, Smith drove down the field, highlighted by a 25-yard scramble. After the scramble, he threw a 22 yard pass to Arnaz Battle
that was fumbled on the one-yard line, but recovered by a 49er so the ball was placed back on the one-yard line with 26 seconds left. The following play Battle ran an end around for the game-winning touchdown. Smith finished the game 15 for 31 with 126 yards and two rushes for 37 yards. Had Darrell Jackson not dropped a perfectly thrown pass in the end zone prior to Smith completing the comeback, his numbers would have been even better.
On September 30 in the first quarter of a game against the Seattle Seahawks
, Smith injured his right shoulder after getting sacked by Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard
. Smith suffered a grade-three separation and the initial diagnosis was that surgery would not be required. Smith missed the next three games before returning to the 49ers' starting lineup on Sunday, October 28, 2007.
The 49ers did not win a game again until November 25. Among all NFL quarterbacks who qualify for league statistics, only the Jets' Kellen Clemens had a poorer passer rating than Smith (57.2), Smith completed under 50% of his passes, far below the league average of 60%. Smith was at odds with 49ers head coach Mike Nolan
over the severity of his injury. Nolan believed that Smith was healthy enough to play while Smith felt that the injury still affected his ability to throw accurately, an account that was supported by players from the Seahawks. Nolan decided to rest Smith following a loss in that game to the Seahawks on November 12 and start Trent Dilfer
to allow Smith's shoulder to recover. Upon further examination following the decision, according to orthopedic surgeon James Andrews
, the shoulder did not significantly heal as Andrews thought it would. Smith would not play again in the 2007 season. On December 11, 2007, Smith was placed on injured reserve to undergo surgery on the shoulder.
, who won both of the games he started in 2007, before suffering a back injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, and journeyman
J.T. O'Sullivan
. Smith would be learning under a fourth different offensive coordinator in four seasons; Jim Hostler
was fired and replaced by former Detroit Lions
offensive coordinator and St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator/head coach Mike Martz
. Unlike the previous three seasons, where offensive continuity was somewhat maintained, Martz's system was completely different. Smith was announced as the second-string quarterback for the 49ers' initial preseason game against the Oakland Raiders
on August 8, behind O'Sullivan, who was elevated to starting quarterback, partly due to his familiarity with Martz's offense when he was a member of the Detroit Lions. Smith threw five of nine for 51 yards. He again started as the second-string quarterback in an August 16 preseason game against the Green Bay Packers
, which the 49ers won 34-6. O'Sullivan was named the starting quarterback against the Chicago Bears
on August 21 in the third preseason game, where he performed extremely well, throwing 7 of 8 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Smith threw 6 of 17 for 83 yards and a touchdown.
On August 22, 49ers head coach Mike Nolan
announced that O'Sullivan, who had competed with Smith and Hill, would replace Smith as the 49ers' first-string quarterback for Week 1 of the 2008 season. This decision led former NFL coach Jim Mora
to call Smith a "bust," an opinion seemingly shared by many 49ers fans, and argued that the 49ers should not have drafted him as the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
.
On September 10, the 49ers placed Smith on injured reserve
after Dr. James Andrews
confirmed the team's diagnosis of a broken bone in his shoulder, believed to have been caused by a wire left in his shoulder from the previous surgery, which had sawed through the bone. Regardless, the 49ers' general manager, Scot McCloughan
, said that the 49ers expected to release Smith before the 2009 season, when they would owe him a salary of $9,625,000.
After Nolan was fired
on October 21, 2008, the 49ers expressed interest in having Smith remain for the 2009 season if he was willing to renegotiate his contract. On March 10, 2009, the 49ers announced that his contract had been successfully restructured and that he would stay with the team. He took a considerable paycut to remain with the 49ers, with whom he would be under contract for the next two years. Smith was to make $4 million a season in 2009 and 2010, in addition to base salaries that weren't immediately made known. In his previous contract, he was scheduled to make $24.6 million in the final two years.
becoming the head coach after a successful term as the interim head coach in 2008, Martz was fired as offensive coordinator due to the huge differences in offensive philosophies and Jimmy Raye II
was hired to replace him, marking the fifth different offensive coordinator in five seasons. During the offseason, the 49ers drafted Michael Crabtree
to be the team's featured receiver that Smith had been lacking throughout his NFL career. After restructuring his contract with San Francisco, Smith lost the battle for the starting quarterback position to Shaun Hill
. However, in a Week 7 game against the Houston Texans
, Smith replaced him in the third quarter, after Hill had performed poorly in a 21-0 first half deficit. Smith led the team back with three touchdown passes, all to TE Vernon Davis
, but fell short of victory, 24-21.
Singletary named Smith as the 49ers' starting quarterback the next day at his weekly press conference on October 26.
After his return as the 49ers' starting quarterback, Smith displayed signs of progress, despite the team's 3-4 record in his first seven starts. He led the 49ers to a Week 12 victory, 20-3, against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars
, throwing for 232 yards with two touchdown passes while posting a 96.8 passer rating
. In a Week 13 match-up against the NFC West
division rival Seattle Seahawks, he recorded the first 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 27 of 45 throws with two touchdown passes.
With one-and-a-half seasons on the Injured reserve list, the 49ers asked Smith to renegotiate his contract. After returning from his honeymoon in the Maldives
, Smith agreed to a pay cut at an undisclosed amount. With the cut, Smith says that he is ready to compete for the starting quarterback spot, primarily against Shaun Hill
. "I’m glad it’s against Shaun," Smith said, "He’s a great guy. I can’t think of a better guy to compete against."
He also worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom, covering Super Bowl XLIV
.
. Under Johnson, Smith was expected to run a variation of the spread offense that he ran in college. The 49ers continued to build their team having now drafted Anthony Davis
and Mike Iupati with their two first round picks to provide more protection. On September 8, Coach Singletary announced that Smith was named one of the team's captains.
Smith suffered an injured shoulder in the Niners week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers
and was not available to play week 8 against the Denver Broncos
in London.
He was replaced by Troy Smith
, who had 14 games of experience in the NFL before joining the 49ers organization just before the start of the regular season. Troy Smith took Smith's position after winning 2 straight victories against the St. Louis Rams and the Denver Broncos.
However, following a loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13 that left the 49ers with a 4-8 record, Troy Smith was demoted to backup in favor of Alex Smith. The top pick of the 2005 draft would start against Seattle in Week 14 in a game the 49ers needed to win to stay in contention in the NFC West.
Smith acknowledged that his performances needed to be more consistent. On December 12, 2010 the 49ers played the Seahawks in San Francisco. Smith was booed by the Candlestick crowd after the first two plays. However, the boos turned to cheers after Smith helped lead the 49ers to a 40-21 victory over a division rival. The win moved the 49ers one game behind the division leaders (Rams and Seahawks) with three games left to play. However, he struggled the following Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers
and Troy Smith started the following game against the Rams. Troy Smith struggled in the loss to the Rams and he relieved Troy Smith in that game. After the game, Singletary was fired and he finished the season starting against the Cardinals. The 49ers finished the season 6-10 and Smith became a free agent after the season.
as the new head coach, and Greg Roman replaced Johnson as the new offensive coordinator, marking the seventh different offensive coordinator in as many seasons for Smith. Unlike the previous head coaches, Harbaugh is an offensive-minded coach and specializes in developing quarterbacks. Harbaugh made it known to Smith that he was welcomed back on the team. Smith organized the players' workouts during the 2011 NFL lockout
and helped to install Harbaugh's new offense. After the lockout ended, Smith signed a one-year $5 million contract with the 49ers. Smith was named the starting quarterback heading into the regular season, and Harbaugh believed Smith could succeed in the coach's West Coast offense. During the offseason, the 49ers added Braylon Edwards
in free agency to be the team's featured wide receiver and drafted Colin Kaepernick
to develop behind Smith.
During the season, Smith has shown significant improvement in his "Leadership" skills. Smith has thrown only four interceptions (one of them the result of a ball that should have been caught but instead deflected off his receiver) through week 10. Although Smith is not putting up big numbers, he is helping the 49ers win games by minimizing mistakes and keeping the offense in rhythm. Smith made NFL Network
analyst Kurt Warner
's list of 2011 seasons' best quarterbacks early in the season. Smith has also been credited with being an accurate passer. In week nine Jim Harbaugh wanted to prove Alex Smith could throw the ball and he did just that as he went 19 completions for 30 attempts and 242 yards. The Giants shut down the 49ers' run game and Alex took the game into his hands and won in a 27-20 victory over the Giants. Through 11 games, he has led his team to a praised record of 9-2.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
by San Francisco from the University of Utah
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
. He started his first game during Week 5 of his rookie season, replacing former starter Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
, and though he started a total of seven games that season, he did not play well, throwing only one touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
to eleven interceptions. In 2006, he was named the starting quarterback before the season, and started all 16 games for the team, as well as seven games of the 2007 season. Nagging shoulder injuries would keep him out of eight games in 2007, and following shoulder surgery, he missed all of 2008. He returned in 2009 and alternated as starting quarterback with Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. He went into the 2010 season as the teams primary starting quarterback, but shoulder injuries again kept in on the sideline for several games. He has started every game of the 2011 season so far.
Early life
His father, Douglas D. Smith, was the Executive Director at the high school Alex attended, Helix Charter High School, until June 30, 2010. His uncle is John L. SmithJohn L. Smith
John L. Smith is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas, under head coach Bobby Petrino...
, former head coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
for the Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
Spartans’ football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team. His second cousin is New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
first baseman Chris Shelton
Chris Shelton (baseball player)
Christopher Bob Shelton is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the New York Mets organization.-Amateur career:...
.
Born in Seattle, Smith grew up in La Mesa, California
La Mesa, California
La Mesa is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 57,065 at the 2010 census, up from 54,749 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1869 and officially incorporated as a city on February 16, 1912. Its official flower is the bougainvillea....
. As a starter at Helix during his junior and senior years Smith led his team to a record of 25-1, including two San Diego CIF section championships. He was named to the first-team all-conference and all-county squads in the San Diego CIF system. Smith also earned the conference offensive player of the year twice, and twice won the team MVP for Helix. During his time at Helix, Smith set a school record by throwing for six touchdowns in one game, and recorded the second-highest completion percentage in San Diego CIF history. While at Helix, he played with 2005 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner (since vacated) Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. Smith and Bush were later finalists for the 2004 Heisman, making it the first time a high school had two finalists at the same ceremony.
Smith was president of his senior class in high school, and was also an excellent student who graduated with a 4.4 GPA one semester early by earning college credits through a program with San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
and a dozen Advanced Placement tests.
College career
Smith attended the University of UtahUniversity of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and played for the Utah Utes
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
, wearing number 11. He finished fourth in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy and was selected as the 2004 Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
Player of the Year. Smith posted a 21–1 record as a starter in college, while leading a high-powered spread offense under head coach Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...
. He led the Utes to victories in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl
2005 Fiesta Bowl
The 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 2005, was the 34th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game was played between Utah and Pittsburgh, in front of 73,519 fans. It is notable for being the first BCS game to feature a team from a non-BCS conference, and the only BCS bowl to feature a...
and the 2003 Liberty Bowl
2003 Liberty Bowl
The 2003 AXA Liberty Bowl, played on December 31, 2003, was the 45th edition of the Liberty Bowl. The game was played between the Utah Utes, and the , in front of 55,989 fans....
. Smith earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in economics in two years with a 3.74 GPA, having matriculated with 64 credit hours, and began work on a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in the field before being drafted.
NFL career
At the NFL combineNFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
, Smith recorded a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash, and had a 32-inch vertical leap. He also earned a score of 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic exam.
The San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, who held the first overall pick, had hired a strong personality head coach in Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
. Nolan thought Smith to be cerebral, introspective, and non-confrontational. Nolan also evaluated Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers...
but did not believe that Rodgers' attitude could co-exist with him. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
, selected by the San Francisco 49ers. In July 2005, Smith agreed to a six-year, $49.5 million contract with the 49ers; the contract included $24 million in guaranteed money.
2005 season
Dealing with an injury and being taken in and out of the lineup by then-head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
, Smith played in nine games in his rookie season, recording just one touchdown pass, against the Houston Texans, while throwing 11 interceptions.
2006 season
After the challenges faced by his rookie campaign, Smith went into the 2006 season with a new offensive coordinator (Norv TurnerNorv Turner
Norval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
) and an improved set of offensive weapons around him. The 49ers used their top draft choice on Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
, a tight end from Maryland. They also upgraded their offensive backfield, trading underachieving running back Kevan Barlow
Kevan Barlow
Kevan C. Barlow is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
to the Jets, making Frank Gore
Frank Gore
Franklin Gore is an American football running back who plays for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami. NFL Network analysts have nicknamed Gore "The Inconvenient Truth".-High school career:Gore attended Coral Gables High...
the feature back.
Smith also spent the off-season working daily with his new coordinator, wide receivers and tight end, while working to improve his technique and add bulk. The improved offensive cast clearly helped Smith develop in his second year, especially early. Smith's first three games of the season saw him throw three touchdowns, no interceptions, and amass 814 yards. After struggling in Kansas City, he then threw for three touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, setting a career high. However, the next five games saw Smith resume his growing pains, averaging only 153 yards per game while throwing only six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite his difficulty, he led the 49ers on a three-game winning streak in November.
Smith met Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
for the first time on November 5, 2006, during a game against the Vikings. The 49ers wore the throwback jerseys of the 1989 team which Joe Montana and teammates wore. The 49ers went on to win 9-3, upsetting the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.
In need of a statement game, the 49ers traveled to Seattle for a Thursday Night Football game against their division rivals. During the broadcast on NFL Network, Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
noted that if he were starting an NFL franchise, he would have taken the Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
before Alex Smith and fellow rookies Matt Leinart and Vince Young - and that Smith was not even close to the others. Going into the 4th quarter, the 49ers were trailing the Seahawks 7-3, and pulling out a win looked unlikely. Smith however performed brilliantly in the fourth quarter, and drove the 49ers on a long touchdown drive down the field early, taking a narrow 10-7 lead. Late in the quarter, with the same score, Smith struck again - shaking off an almost certain sack, rolling to the left and completing a pass to Frank Gore for a touchdown to give the 49ers a 10 point lead. On the next drive, Smith cemented the victory by leading yet another touchdown drive, and rushing for a touchdown on a naked bootleg. Collinsworth had earlier in the game observed that "Alex Smith is the best I've ever seen him. That drive is the best I saw," and on seeing his touchdown run, commented "What a second-half he has had!".
After losing to the Cardinals the following week, the 49ers final game of the 2006 season was against a Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
team looking for a playoff berth. In a major upset, the 49ers defeated the Broncos and knocked them out of the playoffs. During the game at INVESCO Field, Smith threw for 194 yards and a touchdown, leading the team to a come from behind victory for the second time in three weeks.
Overall, Smith improved in his second year by throwing as many touchdowns as interceptions. He threw for 16 TDs, 16 interceptions, 2,890 yards and a 74.8 quarterback rating, all improvements over his rookie year. Alex also became the first 49ers quarterback in club history to take every snap from center over the course of a season in 2006.
2007 season
Smith entered the 2007 season learning under a third offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
in three seasons. Norv Turner
Norv Turner
Norval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
was hired as the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Jim Hostler
Jim Hostler
Jim Hostler is an American football coach. Hostler is currently the wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. He was the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in 2007, having been named to that position on February 28, 2007, which he held until being fired, on January 2, 2008. He...
replaced Turner. Hostler's system involved a mixture of the offensive system installed by Turner with elements of the West Coast offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
installed by Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy
Michael John "Mike" McCarthy is a professional American football coach, currently serving as the head coach of the National Football League's Green Bay Packers.-Early life:McCarthy was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
for the 2005 season. During the offseason, the 49ers added wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s Darrell Jackson
Darrell Jackson
Darrell Lamont Jackson is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for nine seasons...
, Ashley Lelie
Ashley Lelie
Ashley Jovon Lelie [] is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 19th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
, and rookie Jason Hill as new offensive targets for Smith.
In the season opener on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Smith led the 49ers to a 20-17 win in a two-minute comeback. While down 17-13 with less than two-minutes left, Smith drove down the field, highlighted by a 25-yard scramble. After the scramble, he threw a 22 yard pass to Arnaz Battle
Arnaz Battle
Arnaz Jerome Battle is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
that was fumbled on the one-yard line, but recovered by a 49er so the ball was placed back on the one-yard line with 26 seconds left. The following play Battle ran an end around for the game-winning touchdown. Smith finished the game 15 for 31 with 126 yards and two rushes for 37 yards. Had Darrell Jackson not dropped a perfectly thrown pass in the end zone prior to Smith completing the comeback, his numbers would have been even better.
On September 30 in the first quarter of a game against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, Smith injured his right shoulder after getting sacked by Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard
Rocky Bernard
Robert "Rocky" Eugene Bernard, Jr. is an American football defensive tackle for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M.-Seattle Seahawks:Bernard was drafted by the...
. Smith suffered a grade-three separation and the initial diagnosis was that surgery would not be required. Smith missed the next three games before returning to the 49ers' starting lineup on Sunday, October 28, 2007.
The 49ers did not win a game again until November 25. Among all NFL quarterbacks who qualify for league statistics, only the Jets' Kellen Clemens had a poorer passer rating than Smith (57.2), Smith completed under 50% of his passes, far below the league average of 60%. Smith was at odds with 49ers head coach Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
over the severity of his injury. Nolan believed that Smith was healthy enough to play while Smith felt that the injury still affected his ability to throw accurately, an account that was supported by players from the Seahawks. Nolan decided to rest Smith following a loss in that game to the Seahawks on November 12 and start Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
to allow Smith's shoulder to recover. Upon further examination following the decision, according to orthopedic surgeon James Andrews
James Andrews (physician)
James Rheuben Andrews, M.D., born 1942 in Homer, Louisiana, is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. He also practices in Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center located at St....
, the shoulder did not significantly heal as Andrews thought it would. Smith would not play again in the 2007 season. On December 11, 2007, Smith was placed on injured reserve to undergo surgery on the shoulder.
2008 season
Smith entered training camp competing for the starting quarterback job with Shaun HillShaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
, who won both of the games he started in 2007, before suffering a back injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, and journeyman
Journeyman (sports)
A journeyman or journeywoman is an athlete or professional sports player who is technically competent, but unable to excel. In certain parts of the world the term has less negative connotations and the inability to excel is not needed for a player to be labelled thus.-Definitions:Alexandra Allred...
J.T. O'Sullivan
J.T. O'Sullivan
John Thomas "J. T." O'Sullivan is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at UC Davis....
. Smith would be learning under a fourth different offensive coordinator in four seasons; Jim Hostler
Jim Hostler
Jim Hostler is an American football coach. Hostler is currently the wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. He was the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in 2007, having been named to that position on February 28, 2007, which he held until being fired, on January 2, 2008. He...
was fired and replaced by former Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
offensive coordinator and St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator/head coach Mike Martz
Mike Martz
Michael Martz is a former NFL head coach and currently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's Chicago Bears....
. Unlike the previous three seasons, where offensive continuity was somewhat maintained, Martz's system was completely different. Smith was announced as the second-string quarterback for the 49ers' initial preseason game against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 8, behind O'Sullivan, who was elevated to starting quarterback, partly due to his familiarity with Martz's offense when he was a member of the Detroit Lions. Smith threw five of nine for 51 yards. He again started as the second-string quarterback in an August 16 preseason game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, which the 49ers won 34-6. O'Sullivan was named the starting quarterback against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 21 in the third preseason game, where he performed extremely well, throwing 7 of 8 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Smith threw 6 of 17 for 83 yards and a touchdown.
On August 22, 49ers head coach Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
announced that O'Sullivan, who had competed with Smith and Hill, would replace Smith as the 49ers' first-string quarterback for Week 1 of the 2008 season. This decision led former NFL coach Jim Mora
Jim E. Mora
James Earnest Mora is the former head coach of the USFL's Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars and the NFL's New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. He played football at Occidental College where he was also a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. His son Jim L...
to call Smith a "bust," an opinion seemingly shared by many 49ers fans, and argued that the 49ers should not have drafted him as the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
.
On September 10, the 49ers placed Smith on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
after Dr. James Andrews
James Andrews (physician)
James Rheuben Andrews, M.D., born 1942 in Homer, Louisiana, is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. He also practices in Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center located at St....
confirmed the team's diagnosis of a broken bone in his shoulder, believed to have been caused by a wire left in his shoulder from the previous surgery, which had sawed through the bone. Regardless, the 49ers' general manager, Scot McCloughan
Scot McCloughan
Scot McCloughan is the former General Manager of the San Francisco 49ers. On March 18, 2010, he was relieved of his duties.-Notes and references:...
, said that the 49ers expected to release Smith before the 2009 season, when they would owe him a salary of $9,625,000.
After Nolan was fired
Firing
Dismissal is the termination of employment by an employer against the will of the employee. Though such a decision can be made by an employer for a variety of reasons, ranging from an economic downturn to performance-related problems on the part of the employee, being fired has a strong stigma in...
on October 21, 2008, the 49ers expressed interest in having Smith remain for the 2009 season if he was willing to renegotiate his contract. On March 10, 2009, the 49ers announced that his contract had been successfully restructured and that he would stay with the team. He took a considerable paycut to remain with the 49ers, with whom he would be under contract for the next two years. Smith was to make $4 million a season in 2009 and 2010, in addition to base salaries that weren't immediately made known. In his previous contract, he was scheduled to make $24.6 million in the final two years.
2009 season
With Mike SingletaryMike Singletary
Michael "Mike" Singletary is an American football coach and former professional football player. He is currently the linebacker coach and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL....
becoming the head coach after a successful term as the interim head coach in 2008, Martz was fired as offensive coordinator due to the huge differences in offensive philosophies and Jimmy Raye II
Jimmy Raye II
James Arthur Raye, Jr. is a former American football player and coach. He was most recently the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League until he was fired on September 27, 2010, one day after the team's lopsided loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.-Playing...
was hired to replace him, marking the fifth different offensive coordinator in five seasons. During the offseason, the 49ers drafted Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
to be the team's featured receiver that Smith had been lacking throughout his NFL career. After restructuring his contract with San Francisco, Smith lost the battle for the starting quarterback position to Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. However, in a Week 7 game against the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Smith replaced him in the third quarter, after Hill had performed poorly in a 21-0 first half deficit. Smith led the team back with three touchdown passes, all to TE Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
, but fell short of victory, 24-21.
Singletary named Smith as the 49ers' starting quarterback the next day at his weekly press conference on October 26.
After his return as the 49ers' starting quarterback, Smith displayed signs of progress, despite the team's 3-4 record in his first seven starts. He led the 49ers to a Week 12 victory, 20-3, against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, throwing for 232 yards with two touchdown passes while posting a 96.8 passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
. In a Week 13 match-up against the NFC West
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
division rival Seattle Seahawks, he recorded the first 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 27 of 45 throws with two touchdown passes.
With one-and-a-half seasons on the Injured reserve list, the 49ers asked Smith to renegotiate his contract. After returning from his honeymoon in the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, Smith agreed to a pay cut at an undisclosed amount. With the cut, Smith says that he is ready to compete for the starting quarterback spot, primarily against Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. "I’m glad it’s against Shaun," Smith said, "He’s a great guy. I can’t think of a better guy to compete against."
He also worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom, covering Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
.
2010 season
Smith entered the 2010 season as the starting quarterback. For the first time in his career, he returned under the same offensive coordinator from the previous season, as Raye was retained. However, the team started 0-5, and on September 27, Raye was fired and replaced by quarterbacks coach Mike JohnsonMike Johnson (American football coach)
Mike Johnson is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins' football team after two years with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League...
. Under Johnson, Smith was expected to run a variation of the spread offense that he ran in college. The 49ers continued to build their team having now drafted Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis (offensive tackle b. 1989)
Anthony Davis is an American football offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Davis was drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He played college football at Rutgers University...
and Mike Iupati with their two first round picks to provide more protection. On September 8, Coach Singletary announced that Smith was named one of the team's captains.
Smith suffered an injured shoulder in the Niners week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and was not available to play week 8 against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in London.
He was replaced by Troy Smith
Troy Smith
Troy James Smith is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers. He...
, who had 14 games of experience in the NFL before joining the 49ers organization just before the start of the regular season. Troy Smith took Smith's position after winning 2 straight victories against the St. Louis Rams and the Denver Broncos.
However, following a loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13 that left the 49ers with a 4-8 record, Troy Smith was demoted to backup in favor of Alex Smith. The top pick of the 2005 draft would start against Seattle in Week 14 in a game the 49ers needed to win to stay in contention in the NFC West.
Smith acknowledged that his performances needed to be more consistent. On December 12, 2010 the 49ers played the Seahawks in San Francisco. Smith was booed by the Candlestick crowd after the first two plays. However, the boos turned to cheers after Smith helped lead the 49ers to a 40-21 victory over a division rival. The win moved the 49ers one game behind the division leaders (Rams and Seahawks) with three games left to play. However, he struggled the following Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Troy Smith started the following game against the Rams. Troy Smith struggled in the loss to the Rams and he relieved Troy Smith in that game. After the game, Singletary was fired and he finished the season starting against the Cardinals. The 49ers finished the season 6-10 and Smith became a free agent after the season.
2011 season
The 49ers hired Jim HarbaughJim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
as the new head coach, and Greg Roman replaced Johnson as the new offensive coordinator, marking the seventh different offensive coordinator in as many seasons for Smith. Unlike the previous head coaches, Harbaugh is an offensive-minded coach and specializes in developing quarterbacks. Harbaugh made it known to Smith that he was welcomed back on the team. Smith organized the players' workouts during the 2011 NFL lockout
2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
and helped to install Harbaugh's new offense. After the lockout ended, Smith signed a one-year $5 million contract with the 49ers. Smith was named the starting quarterback heading into the regular season, and Harbaugh believed Smith could succeed in the coach's West Coast offense. During the offseason, the 49ers added Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
in free agency to be the team's featured wide receiver and drafted Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick
Colin Rand Kaepernick is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at Nevada.-Personal:...
to develop behind Smith.
During the season, Smith has shown significant improvement in his "Leadership" skills. Smith has thrown only four interceptions (one of them the result of a ball that should have been caught but instead deflected off his receiver) through week 10. Although Smith is not putting up big numbers, he is helping the 49ers win games by minimizing mistakes and keeping the offense in rhythm. Smith made NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
analyst Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
's list of 2011 seasons' best quarterbacks early in the season. Smith has also been credited with being an accurate passer. In week nine Jim Harbaugh wanted to prove Alex Smith could throw the ball and he did just that as he went 19 completions for 30 attempts and 242 yards. The Giants shut down the 49ers' run game and Alex took the game into his hands and won in a 27-20 victory over the Giants. Through 11 games, he has led his team to a praised record of 9-2.
College
| Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Att | Yds | TD | ||
| 2002 | Utah Utes Utah Utes The Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the... | 2 | 2 | 4 | 50.0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -11 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | Utah Utes Utah Utes The Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the... | 11 | 173 | 266 | 65.0 | 2247 | 15 | 3 | 149 | 452 | 5 | ||
| 2004 | Utah Utes Utah Utes The Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the... | 12 | 214 | 317 | 67.5 | 2952 | 32 | 4 | 135 | 631 | 10 | ||
| Totals | 25 | 389 | 587 | 66.3 | 5203 | 47 | 8 | 286 | 1072 | 15 | |||