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Why Big Ben could win MVP and not Comeback Player of the Year
Yinzer Crazy • November 12, 2020
Why Alex Smith is 2020's Beacon of Hope
If you thought my recent infatuation and love affair with the individual who helped orchestrate two of the happiest moments of my life (Super Bowl XL, XLII) was over, think again.
In the last handful of days I’ve told you on multiple occasions why I think Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should be strongly considered entrenched in the race for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.
A race that he has never received a single vote for in his near 17-year professional career.
In his most recent outing against the Cowboys, Ben led the Steelers on a game-winning drive, practically on one healthy leg.
Reminiscent of former Los Angeles Dodger Kirk Gibson's walk-off home-run in the 1988 World Series.
Now that may be a substantial reach, but I’m not here to write some cookie-cutter story about Big Ben and his flair for dramatics.
We all are well-aware that they exist.
His fourth quarter performance on Sunday amounted to the 34th comeback of his professional career, tying Johnny Unitas for fourth most all-time in league history.
But this isn’t a Hall of Fame speech or career summary.
This is a piece about the present.
And currently Roethlisberger is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes.
He’s thrown 18 touchdowns to just four picks.
And his team is 8-0.
As I previously wrote - the Steelers returned a very similar roster from 2019.
A season in which they failed to make the playoffs.
Now they are at the top of the food chain - thanks to number seven.
That has to be worthy of MVP consideration.
But although he’d be in my conversation for that honor, he would however not receive my imaginary vote for Comeback Player of the Year.
That award should go to Washington Football Team Quarterback Alex Smith.
Regardless of what happens the rest of the season.
Even if the Steelers go 16-0, and Roethlisberger leads the league in touchdown passes.
Smith’s journey back to the field in the nation’s capital has been nothing short of miraculous.
It is the best story that sports will offer in 2020.
Lets first press the rewind button.
On November 18, 2018, Smith was starting for Washington against the Houston Texans.
His team was in first place in the NFC East at 6-3.
An impressive feat at the time, considering he was in his 14th season at age 34.
Plenty of professional athletes aren’t able to achieve that longevity in their sport, regardless of pedigree.
Or start at the most esteemed position in all of sports in their mid 30's.
In what at the time seemed like just another ordinary Sunday start for Alex, would turn into a day the Smith family would never forget.
In a significant understatement - it was a very painful day.
Smith was sacked in the third quarter on a very dangerous “sandwich” type play, similar to the hit we saw Roethlisberger take on Sunday against the Cowboys that left him gimpy.
Smith's right leg was caught at an awkward angle when two Texans including defensive end J.J. Watt had collapsed on top of him.
The former Pro-Bowl signal-caller was down on the field for an extended period of time, and replay encapsulated just how gruesome the injury was in vivid detail.
He was writhing in unconscionable agony.
Smith had to be carted off of the field and taken in an ambulance to a nearby hospital. His family by his side.
NFL circles were quickly learning that this was not your run of the mill leg injury.
Those tend to happen at a high-rate when partaking in such a vicious sport.
But this one was very different.
At the hospital Smith’s blood pressure suddenly began to drop and his temperature started to escalate.
He was in and out of consciousness.
The worst possible news was awaiting.
Doctors informed the Smith family that a severe infection was developing in his right leg.
An infection medically labeled as "Necrotizing Fasciitis", or in layman's terms a flesh eating bacteria.
This infection that was so severe it was likely to take his right leg.
And it could ultimately take his life.
Smith’s wife Elizabeth via ESPN.com was quoted shortly after saying;
Our first priority is we're going to save his life. And then we're going to do our best to save his leg. And anything beyond that is a miracle."
Doctors knew Smith was a fighter and that this would be a battle similar to the gridiron - where he wasn’t going to give in until the clock read 0:00.
Let the battle begin.
Throughout the next year, Alex Smith would undergo 17 total surgeries and four hospital stays.
Through his strength and the care of the medical professionals - his life had been saved.
Smith had perspective about just that.
He consistently talked about how he felt so blessed to be in the position he was through social media posts through his family.
They acknowledged that he was overwhelmed feeling the support from a loving family, fans around the world, and some excellent care provided by the nurses and doctors who fought to save him.
But even then there were still of course questions about his leg.
There was a chance he would never have the ability to walk without a prosthetic ever again.
Let alone play the game of Football.
The Smith’s had to outline their house to be wheel-chair accessible after he was released from the hospital so Alex could get around.
He couldn’t go to the bathroom by himself, let alone attempt to workout.
He was also going to physical therapy, sometimes for four hours a day just to learn to feel what it was like to have a normal leg again.
But he was always checking in on the NFL, Washington in particular, because a large part of his heart was still attached to Football.
Day by day, he kept improving - with his wife Elizabeth and his team of medical professionals consistently by his side.
He was content with just leading a healthy life.
Which makes the rest of this story so staggeringly impossible.
Let’s flash forward all the way to September 5th, 2020.
A time and a year where hope wasn’t really at the forefront of anyone’s daily disposition.
But Alex Smith provided some inspiration that not even Tony Robbins at his best could concoct.
Against impossible odds - he made Washington’s final roster.
Which meant he would be the third string quarterback behind incumbent Dwyane Haskins and second in line Kyle Allen.
Astounding, considering he had just been cleared to practice at full-strength for the first time in years, just two weeks prior.
An improbable comeback from a leg injury that not only threatened his playing career, but his life.
As if there even needed to be another twist (no-pun intended.)
Washington Quarterback Dwayne Haskins had struggled early in the season, which led to Head Coach Ron Rivera benching him for back-up Kyle Allen in early October.
Smith then became the backup.
At that point I was thinking - this can’t really happen, can it?
Unfortunately, this past Sunday during their contest against the New York Giants, Washington QB Kyle Allen suffered a gruesome ankle injury of his own.
It will result in season-ending surgery.
We wish the best for Kyle.
But if there’s someone he can draw inspiration from in his comeback efforts, he doesn’t have to look too far.
That would be the new starting quarterback for the Washington Football Team.
At age 36, Alex Smith will start this Sunday in Detroit against the Lions.
For the first time since November 18, 2020.
Almost exactly two years since the day that forever changed his life.
At his press conference on Wednesday, Smith remained calmly focused on the task at hand, with a reassuring smile on his face.
He talked about his return;
“it’s an amazing feeling, and I love the challenge,”
said Smith, somehow singularly focused on football, and not wanting to talk all that much about the injury, or his resiliency.
No problem Alex - we’ll do that for you.
It’s not just one of the best stories of the year.
It’s one of the best stories in NFL history.
And it’s exactly why I feel that no matter what he does or how he performs - he would get my vote for Comeback Player of the Year.
And probably Comeback Player of the Century.
I don’t want to devalue what Ben Roethlisberger has had to face, as his own challenges were certainly unique.
He returned from elbow surgery after missing a full year of football, and had to undergo a rigorous therapy process that allowed him to play again this season at age 38.
Both stories are improbable in their own right.
Almost as improbable as Ben being firmly entrenched in the MVP race - but not in the one for Comeback POY.
In 2020, a year in which so many of us may feel like a little bit of hope has been drained from us with each passing day, there are people like Alex Smith who should serve as a catalyst of encouragement.
When he takes the field this Sunday, fans of the NFL should all be rooting for him to succeed.
It doesn’t matter if Smith throws four interceptions in the first quarter.
Or if he plays one snap as starter and then is relieved of his duties.
But that won’t happen.
Because I'm betting on Alex Smith.
After all of that - how could you not?
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Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Harv Aronson. Contact Harv @ Totalsportsrecall@gmail.com
Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Harv Aronson. Contact Harv @ Totalsportsrecall@gmail.com
Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Harv Aronson. Contact Harv @ Totalsportsrecall@gmail.com
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