Redskins' Alex Smith NFL Future In Jeopardy Due To Surgery Complications

Alex Smith's NFL career is now in serious jeopardy after reports surfaced claiming that the 34-year-old quarterback of the Washington Redskins is suffering serious complications from the surgery performed on his broken tibia and fibula. It seems that he has had multiple surgeries to battle the infection, and his chances of playing pro football once more is now uncertain.

Smith's multiple procedures were confirmed by Ian Rapoport of the NFL, although he cautioned that it may be a bit premature to truly understand what it means. The only thing he is certain about is that the problem is being addressed and that Smith is still optimistic about being able to take the field once more.

The real score on Smith's surgery remains under wraps, with the Redskins requesting for privacy on behalf of their quarterback for now. Several of Smith's teammates paid him a visit, the Washington Post reported.

"I'll continue to pray for him. We had the opportunity to see him last week. We all just [assured] him we're praying for you, man, and wishing the best for him. That's all we can do," said Peterson.

Cornerback Josh Norman also got to visit Smith, calling him a "strong man."

"He said a couple things to the team; that's pretty cool. That was welcoming. He's definitely in good hands; praying for him, one of our fallen brothers, we're definitely praying for him. We're uplifting him every way we can and that's all you can ask for," he said.

According to Alexis Colvin, orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, the infection is one of the concerns for these types of leg injuries because of the exposure to debris. The soft tissue must be cleaned out and sometimes requires going back in for additional cleaning and with additional surgery.

It has been a rough year for the Redskins, which ironically lost the same player who replaced Smith to a broken leg. As mentioned in a separate report, McCoy left their game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter with a lower leg injury. The Redskins have now elevated Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback and signed Josh Johnson as his backup.

As for Smith, it remains to be seen if he can still make a successful return to the NFL. He signed a $94-million contract with the Redskins last offseason, $71 million of which is fully guaranteed. However, Washington will not receive salary cap relief if Smith is unable to play.