Like many footballs Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown badly in his career, he would certainly like to have this particular moment back.
Players and fans alike spent time reminiscing about Alex Smith’s 16-year NFL career after he announced his retirement on Monday.
Fitzpatrick decided to tell an embarrassing story about the former Washington Football Team quarterback.
Fitzpatrick learned about Smith’s retirement while he was recording the “Green Light” podcast with retired defensive end Chris Long. Eventually the conversation led to Fitzpatrick revealing what he called “one of my biggest regrets to date.”
He sent Smith a text following his catastrophic leg injury in 2018, and called it “the single worst text I’ve ever sent.”
“When Alex broke his leg in that game a few years ago, I had what I thought was a similar injury: I fractured my tibia in 2014 with the Houston Texans,” Fitzpatrick said. “So the single worst text I’ve ever sent out, I sent it to Alex. I said ‘Hey, Alex, just want to let you know they’ll fix you right up, you’ll be good as new. I’m out here and I don’t feel any pain from my injury three years later.’
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“And I sent it and felt good about it, and he said ‘Well, mine might be a little more complicated.’ And 17 surgeries later, and the story of what he had to overcome, I felt like the biggest a**hole.”
Fitzpatrick wrapped up the story by sending Smith some love and well wishes on his post-football life.
“What he did last year, it was incredible for him to get back on the field, and I was very happy after sending that text that he didn’t lose his leg.”
