{"id":10739,"date":"2021-06-19T06:09:31","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T14:09:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/?p=10739"},"modified":"2021-05-19T07:26:55","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T15:26:55","slug":"alex-smith-to-retire-ending-his-16-year-nfl-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/2021\/06\/19\/alex-smith-to-retire-ending-his-16-year-nfl-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Smith to retire &#8211; Ending his 16 year NFL journey"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This past April, Alex Smith the former number one draft pick in the 2005 NFL draft called his football career over. It&#8217;s been a journey I don&#8217;t think anybody could have imagined when the San Francisco 49ers made him the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">It&#8217;s also been a tale of two quarterbacks, Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers who are linked together by that <a href=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/2011\/01\/16\/aaron-rodgers-green-bay-packers-vs-chicago-bears-in-nfc-championship-game-sunday-january-23-2011\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2005 draft <\/a>in which both were selected. Almost 16 years later, Alex Smith would win the 2020 NFL Comeback player of the Year award, while Aaron Rodgers would win his third NFL MVP award for the 2020 season.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10748 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-2012-Divisional-Playoff-0003.jpg\" alt=\"13-August-2005: The San Francisco 49ers beat the Oakland Raiders 24-13 at Monster Park in San Francisco, CA.\" width=\"550\" height=\"806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-2012-Divisional-Playoff-0003.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-2012-Divisional-Playoff-0003-205x300.jpg 205w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Welcome to the NFL rookie quarterback. This photo is from the 49ers vs Raiders pre-season game at Candlestick park in August of 2005.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10750 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Alex-Smith.jpg\" alt=\"#11 Alex Smith - Quarterback San Francisco 49ers\" width=\"838\" height=\"762\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Alex-Smith.jpg 838w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Alex-Smith-300x273.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Alex-Smith-768x698.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Alex Smith prepares to pass the football during a sunny day at Candlestick park.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10749 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-Playoff-Alex-Smith.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Smith Playoff Touchdown Run vs New Orleans Saints at Candlestick park in 2012.\" width=\"939\" height=\"641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-Playoff-Alex-Smith.jpg 939w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-Playoff-Alex-Smith-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Saints-Playoff-Alex-Smith-768x524.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 939px) 100vw, 939px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Perhaps the biggest play of his entire career, Alex Smith&#8217;s 2012 Playoff Touchdown Run vs New Orleans Saints at Candlestick park.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10747 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Giants-NFL-Football-05.jpg\" alt=\"San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith is sacked against the NY Giants - Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA.\" width=\"838\" height=\"594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Giants-NFL-Football-05.jpg 838w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Giants-NFL-Football-05-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Giants-NFL-Football-05-768x544.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">It wasn&#8217;t all glamour playoff touchdown runs for Alex Smith. In fact it was 6 different Offensive coordinators over 7 seasons for the number one draft pick during his first seven years in San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10745\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-02.jpg\" alt=\"Quarterback #11 Alex Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs \" width=\"688\" height=\"806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-02.jpg 688w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-02-256x300.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><br \/>\nAlex Smith visit Levi&#8217;s Park to play against his old team, this time as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10746\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-06.jpg\" alt=\"Quarterback #11 Alex Smith Kansas City Chiefs. \" width=\"652\" height=\"806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-06.jpg 652w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-06-243x300.jpg 243w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 652px) 100vw, 652px\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10744\" src=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-01.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick meet to shake hands after this 2014 meeting in Levi's Stadium.\" width=\"838\" height=\"573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-01.jpg 838w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-01-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/49ers-vs-Chiefs-01-768x525.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\" \/><br \/>\nNormally two quarterbacks meeting after the game isn&#8217;t much of a big deal. Clearly this wasn&#8217;t the case in 2014 as Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick greet each other in Levi&#8217;s Stadium after the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas Chiefs played in October of that year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This past April, Alex Smith the former number one draft pick in the 2005 NFL draft called his football career over. It&#8217;s been a journey I don&#8217;t think anybody could have imagined when the San Francisco 49ers made him the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft. It&#8217;s also been a tale of two quarterbacks, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[]},"categories":[19,3],"tags":[466,2195,2458,66,455,468],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10739"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10739"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10760,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10739\/revisions\/10760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ksimonian.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}