Alex Smith retires

[RamblinMan99]

22 minutes ago, RuskieTitan said:

Remarkable comeback, and truly wish him the best in the future. Being a 3-time pro bowler, and more recently Comeback Player of the Year, does the hype surrounding his comeback help propel him into the Hall of Fame?

Absolutely not.  
 

He doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting into the Hall of Fame.  

[BayRaider]

7 minutes ago, SonsofFenris7 said:

My favorite moment with Alex was when he won the playoff game against NO.. that drive..

That game was nuts, one of the greatest divisional round games in history. 

[y*so*blu]

They could break his body, but they couldn't break his will. I hope they name the CPOTY Award after him. His story should be known and remembered by everyone who loves the game of football.

[ronjon1990]

Enjoy retirement. 

Damn though, I really wish he could've played their playoff game. 

He won't be in the Hall of Fame, but his career story deserves to be in there somewhere. 

[ronjon1990]

15 minutes ago, SonsofFenris7 said:

My favorite moment with Alex was when he won the playoff game against NO.. that drive..

I was in New Orleans for that. I can't stand ANYTHING about the Saints (And I mean anything remotely related). Listening to everyone in New Orleans trash talk him leading up to the game was worse than listening to commentary about Foles vs Atlanta a few years back. 

Watching him rip their heart out, step on it, and sprinkle it in their boudain was fantastic. 

It being the game that franchise forever lost my respect in (the bounty game) was just icing on the cake. 

[Shanedorf]

$ 210M in career earnings

118 in career AV per PFR

199 career passing TDs
86.9 Passer Rating
2615 yds rushing + 15 TDs

100 % world class human

 

[Nut]

Nothing but respect. One of the most resilient players in recent memory.

[Shockwave]

I'm relieved he hung up the cleats. I was cringing anytime I saw him take a hit. To go from the brink of death to returning to the field was more then enough. Enjoy your life sir, you earned a nice peaceful retirement. 

[pwny]

4 hours ago, RamblinMan99 said:

By the standards of #1 overall draft picks, he was a bust.

Is he though? I know expectations for #1 overall picks often tend to suggest that you're shooting for the stars and everyone there needs to have the career of Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman, but the reality of the career trajectory of #1 overall picks would suggest that Alex Smith had a career firmly among the better half of players selected there.

[RuskieTitan]

6 minutes ago, pwny said:

Is he though? I know expectations for #1 overall picks often tend to suggest that you're shooting for the stars and everyone there needs to have the career of Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman, but the reality of the career trajectory of #1 overall picks would suggest that Alex Smith had a career firmly among the better half of players selected there.

I think it depends on how you define a bust. If it's splitting the selections 50-50 good-bad, then sure; but if it's about the expectations that come with that #1 selection, you could argue that most 1st overall picks have been 'busts' rather than successfully being worthy of that choice.

[Shockwave]

It' fair to say he was a bust for the Niners, went on to have 5 good years for the Chiefs. He never lived up to #1 overall expectations, but he produced a respectable career. 

[pwny]

2 hours ago, RuskieTitan said:

I think it depends on how you define a bust. If it's splitting the selections 50-50 good-bad, then sure; but if it's about the expectations that come with that #1 selection, you could argue that most 1st overall picks have been 'busts' rather than successfully being worthy of that choice.

I don’t think exactly 50-50 is the delineation point. But if we’re looking at something where like 80% of #1 picks are busts (and I think if Alex Smith is a bust, we’re really close to that), maybe expectations and valuation we put on the first overall pick is all wrong.

[Tk3]

46 minutes ago, RuskieTitan said:

I think it depends on how you define a bust. If it's splitting the selections 50-50 good-bad, then sure; but if it's about the expectations that come with that #1 selection, you could argue that most 1st overall picks have been 'busts' rather than successfully being worthy of that choice.

Agreed

He's above the 50% mark of #1 overall QBs of the last 20 years - but if your bar of expectation is being an All Pro type and win rings, then he clearly came up short there

To your point though, by that criteria, I'm not sure ANY #1 has delivered that since Peyton. You can squint for 3-4 of them, but nobody in that "best QB in the NFL" category

[Chiefs_5627]

 

[49ers fan]

Alex had two comebacks. In 2007, which niner fans were hoping would be the breakout year, he hurt his shoulder early on in the season. We had to roll with Trent Dilfer and when Alex came back, he looked bad. Then in 2008, he missed the entire year due to the same shoulder IIRC. 2009, he comes back half way and has a respectable return and then in 2010, he fell off. Then in 2011, he finally had a good year in the Harbaugh era.  

I feel like we robbed Alex of what he could have been. 6 offensive coordinators in 6 years. Two being Jim Hostler and Jimmy Raye who are probably the WOAT.