Joe Theismann had awesome reaction to Alex Smith being cleared to practice

Few know what Washington quarterback Alex Smith has gone through like Joe Theismann does.

Theismann infamously broke his leg in a 1985 game while playing for Washington, suffering the same injury Smith did in November 2018. While Theismann was never able to resume his NFL career, he’s openly living through Smith as the current Washington quarterback tries to play again.

“Heck yeah!” Theismann told John Keim of ESPN in response to Smith being activated from the physically unable to perform list. “Go, Alex, go.”

Theismann noted that Smith has “gone through a lot more than I had to go through” in recovering from the broken leg. He’s right about that, as Smith required 17 surgeries and was in danger of needing his leg amputated above the knee at one point.

Smith, 36, last played in 2018. He still has a lot of work to do, but Washington will let him compete for a starting job, which is a remarkable story in itself. Theismann will be rooting him on all the way.