Will Alex Smith Win NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020?

Alex Smith’s plight to return from one of the worst sports injuries ever seen  remains must-see television. Like, literally, the guy has a special on ESPN documenting his haunting injury and comeback trail.

Doctors and realists understandably give the Washington Redskins quarterback poor odds to make a successful return to the NFL, but that hasn’t stopped the quarterback from trying.

Despite facing a life-threatening infection on top of what would normally be a career-ending injury, Smith has marched on, with a potential return to the field in his sights.

If he makes it there, would he be a lock to win the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award? The most recent 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the year odds  don’t exactly say that, as the dual-threat passer has +6600 odds to claim the hardware.

There is logic to suggest Smith is a good bet, though. Here are a few reasons why you may want to consider backing him in 2020.

This has been a truly upside-down year, full of horrifying death, racism, police brutality, a dramatic quarantine, and a laundry list of terrible things.

We all need something positive to cheer for. Sports returning in general could provide a much-needed lift, but Alex Smith successfully returning to the field would also give sports fans a positive story to lean on.

Smith’s comeback has been arduous, and most view it as improbable. Defying the odds would be quite the moment for Smith, the NFL, and anyone looking for inspiration.

The Redskins also probably wouldn’t mind having a healthy Smith on their roster. Aside from the fact that they’re paying the guy out the nose just to rehab an injury, they don’t have an elite quarterback room.

Second-year passer Dwayne Haskins has a big arm and offers upside, but he was inconsistent at best as a rookie. New head coach Ron Rivera may prefer a veteran presence under center, and if Haskins struggles, having Smith on hand could prove useful.

Let’s not forget that before Alex Smith sustained that ghastly compound fracture, he was pretty darn good. The Redskins didn’t trade for him and hand him a huge contract for nothing, after all.

He wasn’t good enough to hold off a rising Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, but who was? Smith was still regarded as one of the game’s best game managers, while he had the football IQ, accuracy, pocket presence, and athleticism to win consistently.

We saw that in his most recent season, where he helped the Redskins go 6-3 before going down. The year prior, he put up 26 touchdowns and helped Kansas City to yet another playoff appearance.

The +6600 odds at BetOnline make it look pretty bleak for Smith, while it’s impossible to ignore that he may not play, as well as the fact that Haskins is in front of him on the depth chart.

But would anyone in the entire league actually hold a candle to this guy if he returned? In all honesty, he may only require simply getting back on the active roster to win this award.

That’s how devastating his injury was. If Smith can just get healthy and return to the sidelines as a clipboard holder, he’s worth a shot at +6600. If he actually wins his starting gig back and is remotely decent, he’d suddenly be the best bet on the board.

Alex Smith remains a bit of a long shot to win the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, but he’s still a fantastic flier bet.

The degree of difficulty he’s facing just to get back on the field is staggering. If he can overcome these crazy odds to play again, he’d heat up as a very intriguing bet.

Whether you bet on Smith or not in 2020, keep tabs on this betting market and be sure to use the best odds at the top NFL sportsbooks online.