Getty Former Chiefs QB Alex Smith is reportedly joining ESPN as a football analyst.
Former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is enjoying life as a retired athlete. On Wednesday, the 37-year-old was spotted at the Chicago Bears training camp.
Alex Smith helping out at Bears training camp
Looking like he’s still fit enough to toss a couple passes under center, Smith looked on as rookie quarterback Justin Fields prepared to throw a pass.
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This may look random, but it’s actually far from it. During Matt Nagy’s tenure as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for Kansas City (2013-2017), Smith was on the Chiefs’ roster. So it makes sense to bring in Smith’s services as Nagy looks to bring some competition to the QB arena while also briefly reuniting with someone who boasts so much experience in the position.
Could Smith Find a New Career in Coaching?
While Smith hasn’t explicitly said he’s interested in coaching, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid joked in April that he’d like Smith to become his newest mentee.
“He’s a heck of a person, had a great career. Everywhere he went he made them better,” Reid said upon learning of his retirement. “If he gets in the coaching I got first dibs on him. Special person, go down as one of my all time favorites.”
Even current Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has said nothing but glowing remarks for his former colleague in the past.
“It gave me a blueprint, and it was something that helped me out a lot early in my career,” Mahomes said in January 2020 before Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. “Just knowing what film I need to watch on what day and how to go out there and practice the right way.
“It was more than just being a football player/He was just a great person in general, and so he just taught me. I know a lot of quarterbacks go into situations where they don’t get help like that,” Mahomes said. “I knew I was blessed to be in a situation where I was behind him in this organization.”
Smith Tapped as New ESPN Analyst
Even if Smith ultimately decides he wants to coach, it will likely be a few more years until that becomes a reality. The father of three is joining the ESPN team as a commentator ahead of the 2021 season, per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. Smith is just “dipping his toes in the analyst game as opposed to taking on a full-time role,” Marchand wrote.
However, the 37-year-old did also apply for a color commentator role with CBS and Fox. Fox ultimately decided to ink a deal with former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez while CBS decided not to replace Rich Gannon.
Smith finished his illustrious 16-year-old pro football career with 35,650 passing yards, 199 touchdowns, 109 interceptions, 86.9 passer rating and a 99-67-1 combined record through his time with the 49ers, Chiefs and Washington Football Team.
Do those stats warrant a bust in Canton? Guess we’ll find out in a couple of years.
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