Former Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith: ‘I cherish my time in Kansas City’
In the days after former Star reporter Terez A. Paylor broke the news that the Chiefs would trade quarterback Alex Smith to Washington, opening the door for Patrick Mahomes to become the franchise’s next starting QB, a grassroots effort took place in Kansas City.
Grateful Chiefs fans began donating money to the Alex Smith Foundation, many in the amount of $11, Smith’s jersey number.
Smith’s foundation, which assists foster teens as they prepare to strike out on their own, is dear to his heart. And while he was preparing to move to Washington after the 2018 trade, Smith took note of what Chiefs fans were doing.
“I absolutely was aware when it all started pouring in,” Smith said in an interview with The Star. “My foundation is something that’s special to me and I really put a big effort into making sure every penny goes to the cause of the foster kids. And so, to see the outpouring of donations, a lot of them in 11 denominations, was so special.
“I cherish my time in Kansas City. For my family it will forever be a special place in our hearts. We have so many friends still there to this day. And so to end it like that, again, I’m so grateful for it.”
Smith, who is preparing to start work as an ESPN analyst, said the good feelings he has for Kansas City (and vice versa) is a rarity in the NFL. His lone regret is not having more postseason success.
But it’s not something overshadows how Smith feels about Kansas City.
“I’m at peace with it,” Smith said. “The fan base, everything about Kansas City is so special in regards to the town, the people and the organization. So I think to leave an organization and to have those feelings is special. It’s not like that (elsewhere). I know a lot of former players that don’t have those relationships with teams they played for it and I’m grateful for that. And really, again, I do think it comes down to the people of Kansas City that make it what it is.”
A new era of Chiefs football
In 2012, the Chiefs tied for the NFL’s worst record at 2-14. After the season, the team hired Andy Reid as coach and John Dorsey as general manager. One of the first moves the new regime made was trading for Smith.
The turnaround was remarkable as Smith helped the Chiefs to an 11-5 record and they made the playoffs.
Two seasons later, the Chiefs crushed the Texans 30-0 at Houston in a Wild Card Game. It was the Chiefs’ first playoff victory in nearly 22 years. In his five seasons in Kansas City, Smith had a 50-26 record as a starter.
The Chiefs, who had finished below .500 in five of the previous six years, never had a losing season with Smith. They’ve now had a winning record n eight straight seasons.
“What’s really special for me and still is special is to watch them and where that organization is at, and to know that I’ve potentially played even the smallest role in helping build that,” Smith said.
“You know, it was the worst team in football at 2-14 and to make the playoffs that first year and just to be a part of the culture change is something that I look back and I’m proud of. And to see, obviously, all those guys, Patrick continue to take it to the highest level, to win a championship.”
The timing of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV victory came while Smith was still working to return after a horrific injury that nearly cost him his life. The day before the Chiefs beat the 49ers, ESPN first revealed that Smith nearly lost his leg because of an infection.
It would be more than six months before Smith was cleared by doctors to take part in football activity.
Smith said the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory came at a good time for him.
“It was so much fun for me,” Smith said. “You know at that point, I was in the midst of my injury, and kind of really in a dark place. And so to watch them go do what they did was amazing for me at that point in my life.”
Smith was thrilled to see Andy Reid lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time.
“I have a special relationship with him. He changed my career and life, and I’m thankful and grateful for it, and he and I still talk and text, often,” Smith said of Reid. “Just to know the person that he is, not just the coach but the person, and to finally get there, to continue to stay at it and to finally get it after all those close, close chances, it was so cool, I know it means a lot to him.
“He’s a Hall of Fame coach and for him to finally get that, I think it was amazing to see.”
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 9:55 AM.
