ASHBURN, VA. When Washington River coach Ron Rivera had the opportunity to speak to quarterback Alex Smith, who questioned the team’s desire to attend in August, Rivera used one phrase in particular: You was right.
He did not say that Smith was right about everything, but Rivera admitted that he was afraid to play Smith and that he was not sure if Smith would be able to play – matters that led to Smith telling GQ Magazine that he did not include in Washington’s plans to sign up for a training camp.
Smith was released shortly after his conversation with Rivera last week, but Rivera agrees with his sentiment in the article.
“It was always in the back of my head, what if he gets hurt again? What if he hurts that leg again? I’ll be the guy who puts him back on the field to get him hurt again,” Rivera said during a video conference with reporters Wednesday, his first since Smith’s release. “I struggled with it every day. It was hard.”
Smith’s release was expected according to various sources and was not affected by his remarks to GQ. In the article, Smith said he believes Washington does not want him. It was a new staff that was undergoing a rebuild, and a 36-year-old quarterback who came from 17 surgeries did not fit their plan.
“They did not see it, did not want me there, not that I should be a part of it, and not that I should be in the team, but also not a chance,” Smith told the magazine said. “Note, it was a whole new regime, they came in; I’m like the leftovers and I’m hurt and I’m this liability.
“Heck no, they did not want me there. At that point, as you can imagine, everything I went through, I could not care less about it. Whether you like it or not, I give it a go at this point . ‘
Finally, Smith persuaded the coaches to give him a chance at the end of August to show what he could do in a full-speed 11-on-11 session. He also had several quick conversations before Rivera about the fact that he no longer placed himself in the injured reserve because he was no longer injured.
“I felt like I did not have my shock at that point,” Smith told GQ. “I wanted to see if I could play quarter and play football, and I feel like I haven’t had the opportunity to figure it out yet. It’s like getting close to the finish line of a marathon and they tell you that you can not finish the race.It’s like, f — that.I’m doing this thing.I’m at least going to see if I can.So, I’m thankful we worked through all that, but no, it was not like open arms coming back after two years. ‘
Rivera and Smith met for breakfast last week before Smith’s release, and Rivera responded publicly for the first time on Wednesday.
“It was very positive,” Rivera said of their meeting. “We both had the chance to see the other side and perspective. I do not agree with many things he said. It was fair. The biggest thing we talked about, there was no road map to bring us where we were not … I told him exactly how I felt and how difficult it was for us. ‘
Rivera also said Smith visited Mr Dan Snyder on the day he was appointed. He was the first player to meet Rivera. After speaking with Smith, Rivera told Snyder that he remembered Thomas Davis Sr., the only pro athlete to return after tearing the same ACL three times.
“[Snyder] said, ‘If he plays, I bet on the old guy,’ Rivera said. ‘If he knows Alex, he’ll get the chance to play again. He will do very well with it. ‘