Alex Smith is retiring from NFL, bringing an end to an amazing career originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

 Alex Smith announced on Monday that his NFL career, which began in 2005, is over. 

The 36-year-old quarterback posted this video to Instagram, which is guaranteed to give you chills:

A post shared by Alex Smith (@alexsmith_11)

Both Washington head coach Ron Rivera and owner Dan Snyder released statements on Monday congratulating Smith on his deserved retirement.

The former top overall pick’s career totals include 174 games, 199 touchdown passes, more than 35,000 yards and one truly unbelievable comeback.

After spending his first eight seasons in San Francisco and the next five campaigns with Kansas City, Smith arrived in Washington via a trade in January 2018.

His debut year with the club was marred by the infamous leg injury he suffered at FedEx Field, and as Smith explained in his retirement video, he was originally disillusioned with the thought of fighting through the most arduous of rehabs for what he termed “a stupid game.”

Yet when he first picked up a football as he was recovering, Smith’s attitude completely changed.

Eventually, upon clearing obstacle after obstacle, he emerged as a key figure in Washington’s 2020 division title.

And as it turns out, his final appearance as a pro came in the team’s playoff-clinching finale. How fitting?

“I’m going to take a little time to enjoy a few of those walks with my wife, and my kids have no idea what’s coming for them in my backyard,” Smith says at the close of his Instagram post.

Few in this world have earned their retirement more than Alex Smith.

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