LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - The Washington Football Team has officially released quarterback Alex Smith.
The move to part ways with the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year comes as no surprise and has been anticipated for weeks.
In a statement released by the team, head coach Ron Rivera said he met with Smith this week and "had a very honest and real discussion. We had a chance to reflect on the 2020 season and talk about moving forward into next year. After the conclusion of that meeting we decided that it would be best for both parties to move on and we will be granting Alex his request to be released.
"I want to thank Alex for his contributions last year. He made such an impact on our young roster and his leadership was one of the key factors in our late season success and in making the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Everyone here in Washington wishes Alex and his family the best going forward and appreciates all that he gave to our organization."
We have released QB Alex Smith pic.twitter.com/wdDya9oVqa
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) March 5, 2021
Smith recently shared in an interview with GQ Magazine that his return to the field "definitely threw a wrench in the team's plans," and Washington "didn't want me there, didn't want me to be a part of it, didn't want me to be on the team, the roster, didn't want to give me a chance. … Heck no they didn't want me there." Smith claimed the issues between him and the front office were the result of his roster status and whether he should be on the Physically Unable to Perform list or Injured Reserve.
By releasing Smith, Spotrac reports Washington will free up $14.7 million in salary cap space for the upcoming season. The NFL free agency window opens March 17th.
