Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith has battled adversity throughout his career.
Since entering the NFL as the first overall pick of the 2005 draft with the San Francisco 49ers, Smith endured up and down seasons with numerous coaching changes before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013.
Smith found stability and success in Kansas City, going 50-26 as a starter and leading the Chiefs to the postseason in four of five seasons. The Chiefs, however, used a first-round pick on quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2017, and then shipped Smith to Washington in March.
Tight end Vernon Davis believes Smith's good and bad experiences have made the quarterback well-equipped for the next step with the Redskins.
"You can tell by an individual's scars, right?" Davis said Saturday, via Kareem Copeland of The Washington Post. "Based on their scars, that's how they're able to be successful.
"That's why they're successful, based on the scars that they have. Alex has been through so much. So many ups and downs. So many scars. So many offensive coordinators. Being traded from San Francisco. A lot of scars. The reason he's successful is not by accident. It's supposed to be. It's inevitable."
Smith replaces Kirk Cousins, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings during free agency. And the Redskins are banking on Smith's recent success after shipping a third-round pick and cornerback Kendall Fuller to the Chiefs in exchange for the quarterback.
But if anyone would know if Smith is up to the task of leading the Redskins back to the postseason, Davis certainly qualifies.
The tight end's opinion carries weight as a former teammate of Smith in San Francisco, and Davis is happy for the reunion in Washington.
