Washington Football Team QB Alex Smith is the odds-on favorite to be named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith is the odds-on favorite to be named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, according to ESPN's David Purdum.
Smith is a -330 favorite in the FanDuel sportsbook, followed by Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and Patriots QB Cam Newton.
Smith was previously a long shot to win the award in most sportsbooks. But this past weekend, Smith made his first appearance in an NFL game since November 2018, coming in to replace Football Team starter Kyle Allen, who left the game due to an arm injury.
For the game, Smith was 9-of-17 for 37 yards. He added a single rushing yard in the 30–10 loss to the Rams.
Despite his stat line, Smith's return was triumphant in that the 36-year-old broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg in a November 2018 game against Houston. Because of an infection, the Utah product required 17 surgeries, and doctors worried not only about the possibility of his leg being amputated but also feared for his life.
On Monday, head coach Ron Rivera reiterated that Allen remains the team's starter heading into Washington's matchup with the Giants, if he is healthy.
"We had a good conversation about that. I told him 'Hey, as long as you're feeling well'—I know he was pretty sore, he'll be even more sore today—but as long as you're feeling well and we're ready to roll on Wednesday, he's our starter," Rivera said, per NFL.com.
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