Watch the moment Alex Smith threw a football for the first time since his gruesome injury

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article_body => "It's been nearly 18 months since Redskins quarterback Alex Smith suffered a gruesome leg injury against the Houston Texans in the 2018 season, one that many thought could prevent him from ever playing football again.<\/p>\nOn Friday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/how-watch-espns-documentary-alex-smiths-recovery-his-leg-injury\">ESPN is releasing a documentary<\/a> titled \"Project 11,\" detailing Smith's life and ongoing recovery since suffering the injury. As part of the promotion for the documentary, the Redskins official Twitter account sent out a teaser on Wednesday, showing footage of the first time Smith threw a football since the injury.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">That moment Alex Smith held a football for the first time after his life changing injury. A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/E60?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@e60<\/a>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Project11?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Project11<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aqm8QuWeYr\">pic.twitter.com\/aqm8QuWeYr<\/a><\/p>— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Redskins\/status\/1255578383343390725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \nSitting on his left knee (his non-injured leg), Smith tossed the football for the first time in months. <\/p>\n\"I really didn't want to think about football and couldn't think about football for so long,\" Smith said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/redskin-talk\" target=\"_blank\">CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE REDSKINS TALK PODCAST<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/redskin-talk\/episodes\/b86986f0-3925-4e4c-8be3-6a80ce2beb77\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \nThe moment that Smith first picked up a football again really resonated with the quarterback's wife, Elizabeth.<\/p>\n\"To watch him light up; to watch him get that inner drive again,\" she said. \"He kept his gratitude; he kept good perspective. But not so much that drive. But I saw it again.\"<\/p>\nSince suffering the injury, the quarterback has <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/E60\/status\/1255152173886787584?s=20\">undergone 17 surgeries<\/a> on his injured leg due to complications and infections from the initial procedure. At one point, amputating his leg was a real possibility. Smith has said in the past that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/alex-smith-says-hes-very-much-lucky-be-alive-after-post-surgery-infection\">he's thankful to be alive.<\/a><\/p>\nDespite all the obstacles that Smith has faced since November 18, 2018, the quarterback still hopes one day, he can return to the field.<\/p>\n\"Football may not be out of the question,\" Smith said. \"Can I go out and play quarterback again? Can I push it that far?\"<\/p>\nStay connected to the Capitals and Wizards with the MyTeams app. <a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&creative_id=nbcswash1200&cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&cp_1=washington&cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&cp_3=nbcswash1200\">Click here<\/a> to download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nMORE REDSKINS NEWS<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>So versatile: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/number-versatile-players-redskins-have-added-offseason-actually-baffling\" target=\"_self\">A new theme for Redskins<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Smith and Rivera: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/three-concrete-examples-ron-rivera-and-kyle-smith-being-same-page\" target=\"_self\">Examples of their unity<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Undrafted FAs: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/redskins-officially-sign-thaddeus-moss-three-other-undrafted-free-agents\" target=\"_self\">Three others join Moss<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Redskins

It's been nearly 18 months since Redskins quarterback Alex Smith suffered a gruesome leg injury against the Houston Texans in the 2018 season, one that many thought could prevent him from ever playing football again.

On Friday, ESPN is releasing a documentary titled "Project 11," detailing Smith's life and ongoing recovery since suffering the injury. As part of the promotion for the documentary, the Redskins official Twitter account sent out a teaser on Wednesday, showing footage of the first time Smith threw a football since the injury.

That moment Alex Smith held a football for the first time after his life changing injury.

A look at @e60’s #Project11 pic.twitter.com/aqm8QuWeYr
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) April 29, 2020

Sitting on his left knee (his non-injured leg), Smith tossed the football for the first time in months.

"I really didn't want to think about football and couldn't think about football for so long," Smith said.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE REDSKINS TALK PODCAST

The moment that Smith first picked up a football again really resonated with the quarterback's wife, Elizabeth.

"To watch him light up; to watch him get that inner drive again," she said. "He kept his gratitude; he kept good perspective. But not so much that drive. But I saw it again."

Since suffering the injury, the quarterback has undergone 17 surgeries on his injured leg due to complications and infections from the initial procedure. At one point, amputating his leg was a real possibility. Smith has said in the past that he's thankful to be alive.

Despite all the obstacles that Smith has faced since November 18, 2018, the quarterback still hopes one day, he can return to the field.

"Football may not be out of the question," Smith said. "Can I go out and play quarterback again? Can I push it that far?"

Stay connected to the Capitals and Wizards with the MyTeams app. Click here to download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.

MORE REDSKINS NEWS

So versatile: A new theme for Redskins
Smith and Rivera: Examples of their unity
Undrafted FAs: Three others join Moss