SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 8, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Alex Smith is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Smith was a First Team All-American and a Heisman Trophy finalist at the University of Utah in 2004, leading the Utes to an undefeated season and a victory over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.
Smith threw for 5,203 yards and 47 touchdowns during his collegiate career, along with 1,072 rushing yards and 15 TDs on the ground. He still holds the school record for TD passes in a single season (32) and total TDs (42).
The San Francisco 49ers made Smith the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Smith’s pro career spanned 16 seasons and three teams — San Francisco (2005-2012), Kansas City (2013-2017) and Washington (2018-2020). He played in 174 games during his NFL career, completing 3,250 passes for 35,650 yards and 199 touchdowns.
Smith was selected to three Pro Bowls and was named 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year after returning to the field from a brutal leg injury that almost took his life.
Smith is part of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame class that is expected to be fully announced later Monday. He’s the first Utah student-athlete to be inducted and the university’s second inductee overall, joining legendary coach Ike Armstrong — a member of the College Football Hall of Fame since 1957.
Smith previously was inducted into the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame (2021) and the Academic All-American Hall of Fame (2020).
In 2018, Smith created the Alex Smith Foundation to provide foster teens with tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood by developing and promoting education, advocacy, mentoring, housing, internships and job programs.
