Alex Smith is calling it a career.
The former 2005 San Francisco 49ers first-round pick announced on his Instagram account Monday that he will retire from the NFL.
“To everyone out there, whether you’re a part of Niner Nation, the Chiefs Kingdom, or the Burgundy and Gold, I thank you,” Smith said in a video posted to the social media platform. “To all the men I had the privilege of standing with and playing alongside, thank you. I want to say thank you for believing in me. And thank you for helping me believe in myself, and in the impossible.
“Because even though I’ve still got plenty of snaps left in me, after 16 years of giving this game everything I’ve got, I can’t wait to see what else is possible. But, first, I’m going to take a little time to enjoy those walks with my wife, and my kids have no idea what’s coming for them in the backyard.”
Smith led the 49ers to a 13-3 record and a No. 2 seed, including a first-round bye, in 2011. The playoff berth and NFC Championship Game appearance was part of a 49ers resurgence that kicked off three straight conference title game appearances, including playing in Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens.
Midway through the 2012 season, Smith was supplanted as the starter after sustaining a concussion in a Week 9 tie with the St. Louis Rams. Backup Colin Kaepernick took over, and subsequently Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2013 offseason. The former Utah Ute would spend the five seasons with the AFC West club before joining Washington in 2018, where he broke his leg in Week 10, leading to insurmountable rehab for Smith.
Smith went 38-36-1 as a starter for the 49ers from 2005-11, and compiled a 79.1 passer rating. Smith collected 14,280 passing yards and 81 passing touchdowns along with four touchdowns in his 80 career games with San Francisco.
