The Kansas City Chiefs brought a special guest to the start of OTAs this week -- the man who turned the starting quarterback job over to Patrick Mahomes.
The team shared a series of pictures from practice that showed former quarterback Alex Smith, leaving many fans surprised and some a bit aghast at the lingering signs of the injury that nearly ended his career.
Smith appeared in the background of a picture the team shared of Mahomes kicking a soccer ball. Many Chiefs fans were taken by surprise, as the team had not given notice that Smith would be making an appearance at OTAs.
Smith served as the starting quarterback during Mahomes' rookie season in 2017, leaving the next season to play for Washington as Mahomes took over the starting job and earned league MVP honors in 2018.
Some fans pointed out the scarring on Smith's right leg, the result of an infection he suffered after a 2018 injury. Smith later developed sepsis, nearly losing his leg.
Smith previously shared that what started as a routine injury quickly turned into something much more serious.
“The initial emergency surgery on the day of the injury went well. I needed to stay a couple of days for observation and then go home,” Smith said, via Forbes. “I never made it out of the hospital.”
The Chiefs acknowledged Smith in a later post, showing him smiling as he spoke with Mahomes. Many fans were excited to see him, suggesting the team could find a position on the coaching staff for him.
"Well, a new OC in KC here's hoping," one fan shared in a post on X.
