49ers QB Alex Smith to ask for release after Super Bowl

Rational- please read all the comments before coming at me. Itjelly said that "concussion boy" should stick around for the money and no one would like his "glass jaw" Supposedly speaking of, but never saying directly, Alex Smith. So Uteology said, "what's Collie got to do with this article"? That's funny because Collie has had several concussions and better fits the description of concussion boy and glass jaw. So, you might address another comment to itsajelly about making fun of someones injuries. I wasn't, I was only making fun of a retort to someone who's ill attempt at humor got the best of him.

joseywales
Park City, UT
Austin Collie! Now THAT deserves an LOL! Even Coug fans should get a chuckle out of that
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Personally, I don't find another person's serious injuries to be funny.

@ Dackhunt

BYU: where the ancient heisman trophy winner we're still beating our chests about didn't have nearly as great of a career as the the quarterback we're obsessed with denigrating on these threads.

It doesn't bother us though! Not. At. All.

@clehman

Quotes from utah "fans" on the most recent Jimmer articles.

"If the NBA was won by games of "HORSE" then yes, I see Jimmer being fit to play. But its not. And he isn't. Enjoy Euro ball Jimmer." - chris b

"I was never under any delusions that he would be a great NBA player; not even a mediocre NBA player" - y ask y

"With minutes, Jimmer would be an even bigger defensive liability." - fatman86

"Because we don't idolize and worship Jimmer, and we have a relatively dismal view of his professional prospects, that makes us "Jimmer haters" - y ask y (hmmmm...wonder if this guy has an "inferiority complex"?)

"The only NBA coach who has shown his opinion of jimmer (coach smart) thinks jimmer is a 3rd string guard, just like us "jimmer haters", but in reality just realists." - niners (hmmm....seems there's an nfl coach with an opinion of where smith belongs as well)

"I don't know what you were expecting, but Jimmer is NOT an NBA star. He might be a role player like Bonner is in San Antonio who Pop can put in to make some 3's but that's it. - utahcountyute

Uteology

Detmer was a backup for most of his 14 years in the NFL. He simply wasn't big enough to be a starter, but his skills and coaching abilities were obviously good enough to warrant teams keeping him on NFL rosters more than double the length of the average NFL career of a player who makes a team's opening day roster.

As far as college careers:

Ty Detmer: 958 of 1530 (62.6%), 15,031 yards, 9.8 Y/A, 121 TDs, 65 int, 162.7 rating
Alex Smith: 389 of 587 (66.3%), 5,203 yards, 8.9 Y/A, 47 TDS, 8 int, 164.4 rating

@uteology

"great team player" does not mean "great player". Also the fact the 49ers lockerroom is not split pretty much confirms that all of them know the better guy is now starting.

@clehman

Get back to me when he actually does something somewhere. I'll be here waiting.

Duckhunter
Highland, UT

@ernie

His mid season benching for a 2nd round draft pick says otherwise.

LOL!

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Yes it does. It shows how great of team player he is that after being benched after a concussion he wasn't a "distraction" in the locker room. Unlike, Heaps vs Nelson or even Steve Young vs Montana:

"Before the start of the 1993 season, team owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. announced that he wanted Montana to resume his role as starting quarterback for the 49ers. However, a rift in the locker room had developed, with players split on whom they wanted at quarterback."

Austin Collie! Now THAT deserves an LOL! Even Coug fans should get a chuckle out of that.

Duckhunter, what exactly is your problem? Inferiority complex?

Your assessment of Alex's talent is sub-par at best.

@ernie

His mid season benching for a 2nd round draft pick says otherwise.

LOL!

he's giving up 6.5 million. I think that's a little silly especially in a profession where your working years are so limited and the guarantee of a job is zero. Why not wait till march to ask for your release? That way he gets the money. From a competitors standpoint I understand his desire to be the best and to win. I respect it. We don't have enough competitors with that same drive anymore. From a financial adviser standpoint I have to say that backup quarterback on a Superbowl contending team is the best job in the NFL. Your body will take the least amount of punishment, your salary will be high, if you want to you can do it for years (Warren Moon played till he was like 42) and you have a lot of time to study and brush up on your coaching skills to spring board you into a high paid coaching job. Seems like a pretty good life to me. Is changing teams really what you want Alex Smith?

Seagull hunter: His best in the league QB rating contradicts your armchair assessment of his talent.

@itsajelly

I'd stick around concussion boy and take the money coming to you. No one is going to pony up that kind of cash for your glass jaw.

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What's Austin Collie have to do with this article?

Okeesmokee,
Flavors of the month don't take their teams to Super Bowls. Sour grapes.

To OHBU

To OHBU

Harbaugh did two things that I see as being very detrimental to the game:

1) He has re-enforced the concept that players that receive concussions should not say anything and keep playing, and
2) He undermined a quality player for a “flavor of the day”

I don’t like the 49ers right now because of the coach and his poor decisions. I believe that is a decent enough reason.

You are right however, Smith is a class act.

OHBU- I agree with your remarks about Harbaugh. Sometimes it just takes the right people around you to bring out the best. Conversely, Smiths first 5 years were wrought with cancerous coaching, whether highly respected or not, they were guys who just weren't getting anything figured out at any level, much less with the QB's. It wasn't just Singletary, but a bad mix from the start. I do credit Harbaugh for bringing Alex back to life. I also believe he has every right to play the hot hand as he has said, as much as it stings to Smith fans, that is his right.

Me,myself- I made that comment about Brees because whether or not he WAS at a lower level, he isn't anymore. He is without a doubt a top tier QB in the NFL at this moment. I would love it if Alex could get there, but realistically, I don't see it happening. I do believe however, that he has tons of ability, and will make a decent team a playoff team.

Cowboy Dude,

And what was Smith's excuse before Singletary? He wasn't his only coach. If Smith was truly great, he would have done something with any of the other 7 OCs he had. But besides that, nobody was interested in Smith by the time he'd gone through two HCs that couldn't do anything with him--and that includes OC Norv Turner who is quite respected for his work with qbs. Most people around the league and media expected Harbaugh to cut ties with him and draft a new qb and start over. He didn't. Despite the criticism, he stuck with Smith and revived his career. The bottom line is, without Harbaugh, Smith would be unemployed or third string somewhere. With Harbaugh, he's a pretty attractive option this offseason.

I feel bad for Alex, I do. But to not acknowledge Harbaugh as a great coach is naive. He took over a team no-one could do anything with for over a decade, and instantly made them one of the top teams in the league. He did the same thing for Stanford, though their futility dated back much further than a decade.

Not in the same category as Brees made me laugh. How soon we forget that Brees' first few seasons were ripe with mediocrity. All the while he had more talent around him and coaching stability that Smith didn't until the last two seasons. I will agree with DuckHunter that Smith going to the Cards would be a disaster. Smith has also denied at media day yesterday wanting to be released. Any which way it works out I wish Smith the best and hope we like Brees finds a system which showcases his skill set. Don't get me wrong I don't think he'll be a top tier NFL QB all of a sudden, but a solid starter who can lead a team to and possibly win a Super Bowl. He wouldn't be the first to do this, names like Dilfer, Johnson, Rypein and Hostetler come to mind.Smith is better than Dilfer or Johnson and as good as Rypein and Hostetler.

A perfect day for Alex on Sunday would be that Colin goes down in the 1st or 2nd qtr with a ankle sprain (not serious of course) and Alex comes in and throws for 3-4 TD's and runs for 2-3 TD's and crushes the Ravens. Then move onto another team next year and enjoy a successful career. Does Vegas have any odds on this playing out?

@Naval

How did Uteology eat Duckhunter's lunch, by simply demonstrating that Smith has a lifetime rating in the NFL of 79.1 vs Detmer of 74.7?

Neither one are beyond middling in the NFL.

Detmer's premier achievements came in College by winning the Heisman as well as the Maxwell, O'Brian and Baugh Trophies, setting over 50 NCAA records and ending up in the College Hall of Fame.

He was kept on in the NFL for 14 years primarily as a Coach. Show me other non-starting QB's which hung around the NFL for 14 years? His place in history is secure.

Johnny Football will suffer the same fate as Detmer, just as Flutie did.
It's still a Big QB's league, with few exceptions.

Now let's show what it takes to be the best in the NFL, which is what is demanded by the S.F. fans and Organization...

Steve Young..15 years

QB rating 96.8
Touchdowns-passing 232
Interceptions 107
Passing yards 33,124

Rushing yards 4,239
Touchdowns-rushing 43

Kaepernick as of now, in his young career....

TD's 10
Int. 3
QB rating 98.3
Passing yards 1,814

Smith vs Detmer...Detmer
Booooyah!

OHBU- I'm rooting for the 49ers, Smith had as much to do with their success the past two years as anyone. Kap is dynamic for sure and his game is different, but Alex and his accuracy and good decisions making (game managing to the ill informed) would have just as easily led this team to the Super Bowl. Too much focus has been on #7, we forget they have a great defense and Gore helps tons as well. It is as many analysts have pointed out, a very well rounded team. I'm hoping Alex gets a ring, he deserves one as much as anyone. I then hope he seeks out a good deal elsewhere.

I wish the best to Alex, he has been one of my favorite players in the last couple years. Hopefully he gets a good amount of plays in the Super Bowl. You only have so many chances to make it to the big game. Hopefully He'll find a team with a good fit (Chiefs) and keep improving his game!

Sure it wasn't the 49ers looking for a release?

Naval Vet: Poned? Really?

I'd stick around concussion boy and take the money coming to you. No one is going to pony up that kind of cash for your glass jaw.

Duckhunter:

Time for you to move along. Uteology brought out the official stats, and ate your lunch. You just got PONED! Nowhere for left for you to go. Haha!

OHBU "It was Harbaugh's shrewd coaching that led to Smith being re-signed, and it was under his leadership that Smith finally became a legitimate qb."

I can't disagree more. It was the removal of coach Singletary that brought the talent of the Niners to life. Harbaugh was so lucky to walk into this team.

@Duckhunter: "As for your comparisons to other qb's, he has not done any more than several other BYU qb's, Detmer, 14 year career, Neilson, on and off starter just like smith, wilson, on and off starter just like smith."

Now lets do an anti-Duck comparison (aka real stats):

Detemer in 14 years: 34 TDS, 35 INT, 6,351 YDS, 74.7 Rating

Smith in 8 years: 81 TDS, 61 INT, 14,000 YDS, 79.1 Rating

Ducky: "49ers fans couldn't care less about him."

And that would explain why WE, 49er fans, gave him a standing ovation in the final game of the season?

I love how all the Alex Smith supporters are vowing to root against him this weekend. He's been working really hard with Kaepernick to win this game. Even though he's not the starter, I guarantee Smith would much rather have a ring, than some kind of smug self-satisfaction that they couldn't get it done without him. Now, if you're rooting for the Ravens because of Pitta or Kruger, by all means. But if you're doing it for Smith's sake, I'm sure he'd tell you he'd rather you not.

okeesmokee,

Smith has absolutely nothing to be upset with Harbaugh about. It was Harbaugh's shrewd coaching that led to Smith being re-signed, and it was under his leadership that Smith finally became a legitimate qb. None of the other coaches could do that for him. Were it not for Harbaugh, Smith would be sitting at home watching the game Sunday, or 3rd string on another team. Now, after sitting half a season on the bench, he will end up on another team with a chance to start, and a new contract worth a few more years in the league, at the very least. It was Harbaugh's coaching that revived his career, and it was his coaching that helped him understand the Kaepernick was the best qb on the team. Smith understands this well.

All that being said, Smith has been a class act through this whole ordeal, and I respect the heck out of that. As a longtime 9er fan, I wish him nothing but the best, except when he's playing SanFran.

Such a mediocre talent, with the best QB rating an all.

Another Cougar who is a fan of Alex Smith. I hope he lands on a team that fits his skills and he will shine. Go Ravens! That from another former 49ers fan.

@joseywales

We'll have to disagree about his talent level but I will agree he might have some level of succes if he is signed by the right team, but it is a very limited pool. I think he could have success with Reid but I'm not sure why any utah fans want him to go to Phoenix, that will not lead to any success.

As for your comparisons to other qb's, he has not done any more than several other BYU qb's, Detmer, 14 year career, Neilson, on and off starter just like smith, wilson, on and off starter just like smith.

My personal non biased completely honest opinion of smith is that he is an average talent whose failures have been exaggerated because he was so woefully overdrafted by the 49ers. It created unrealistic expectations for him from both 49ers and ute fans. ute fans have continued to support him because he wasn't losing games for them, 49ers fans couldn't care less about him.

If he gets on the right team he might start and he might have moderate success IMO. I feel confident saying he will never be a star.

To okeesmokee - I agree 100%.

I've been a 49ers fan since Steve Young's first day on the job. Alex to San Francisco was a dream come true, but Coach Singletary was the nightmare.

Now, I've had it. I would love to see Paul Kruger and the Ravens finish them off.

I am a BYU fan, but have been impressed with Smith both on and off the football field (he is one smart cookie). I also used to be a 49ers fan, but what Harbaugh has done to Smith is unconscionable. Nothing against Kaepernick, but it was Smith’s early leadership that helped pull the team together. Go Ravens!!

It is hard to build a case to protect players who get concussions when there whole world implodes when they play it safe and sit out.

Clearly the incentive is to play with the concussion.

Anyone who has watched the documentary "Head Games" knows how serious the concussion issue is.

I'm not sure what the best solution is, but it is better to sit and lose out on the superbowl etc. than to damage your brain.

Alex, you made the right choice. Hopefully someone will pick you up and you can keep dominating. I was hoping to watch you win the SB.

Uteology,

Your obsession with everything BYU is almost insane. You should really see a professional about your problem!

I have felt so bad for Alex this year until I read this article. He's crying all the way to the bank. I hope he lands on a team in the west so we can watch him. Arizona?

@Duckhunter

Yet Jimmer on another team will be an All-Star?

I agree Alex was medicore in his frist 6 years but then again so were the 49ers. The last two years he's showen he's a decent NFL QB. He'll get the chance to prove it next year.

I hope Alex is released and gets to a decent team. I think he will turn out to be a very good QB in the NFL if he is given the chance. He had some good coaching for only 2 years and see what he was able to do? Even though I am a BYU alum and fan, I am an Alex Smith fan!

Wooo, according to other BYU articles, all they talk about is BYU, why is there a Alex Smith article, he is from Utah.

While not a "mediocre" talent, it's hard to argue with his last two years success, I wouldn't exactly say he's in the Brady, Manning (both) Rogers or Brees categories either. Depends on the team he ends up on. I wouldn't say he's the type you could hitch your wagon to and say lead us home, but KC would work because of Charles and his run ability, also, Reid would help as a coach. Jets would be a disaster, and so would Jags. Cards or Browns maybe. But playing in the league for as long as he has under 5 years of horrible coaching, and possibly playing 2-5 more years? That's a pretty decent career by NFL standards, far better than mediocre, and only behind Jimmy Mac and Steve Young as guys with local connections.

I can't blame him a bit. I just doubt he'll find more than moderate success anywhere else since he is such a mediocre talent. But I don't blame him for wanting to try. Good luck.