Alex Smith’s time with the San Francisco 49ers was complicated.
The organization selected Smith with the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft with hopes of him being their next great franchise quarterback. While Smith did play in San Francisco for eight years, he didn’t come close to achieving the levels of success that the 49ers wished for.
Smith’s first six seasons were particularly tough. While appearing on the latest episode of New Heights with Travis and Jason Kelce, Smith discussed the pressure he felt from Day 1 with the 49ers, and how it took him years to learn how to carry himself as an NFL QB.
Alex Smith opens up about his early days with the 49ers
“Being the number one pick, before the rookie wage scale, I signed a massive contract,” Smith said. “Being a first time professional and the No. 1 pick and going to the San Francisco 49ers, I felt like I had to be Joe, Montana [or] Steve Young. I’m also the No. 1 pick, so I got to be Peyton Manning and John Elway, I got to be all those things now. I carried around so much weight as a young professional, I felt like I had to be perfect.
“It was real imposter syndrome. How long until they find out that they made a mistake? Especially playing right away. It wasn’t until a few years later I actually got to be around some veteran quarterbacks and actually see what it was like to be a NFL QB, preparing Monday through Saturday. [I] just had no idea what it takes. It was rough. Lot of late nights by myself watching film and having no idea what I was doing.”
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Former 49ers HC Jim Harbaugh gave Alex Smith stability
When Harbaugh took over as head coach in 2011, Smith’s play dramatically improved. He compiled a 19-5-1 record from 2011-2012, throwing 30 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions during that span. Smith went on to give Harbaugh a huge amount of credit for simplifying things for him.
“He took so much pressure off of playing quarterback,” Smith said. “Prior to that, I’d always felt like I had to do something special, or make a play. Jim was like, no, man, just run the offense. If it says to throw the flat, just throw the flat. It was the first time in my career that I felt like I could just be me. I didn’t have to do anything remarkable.”
It’s interesting to think about how Smith’s career may have unfolded out had he started out with a coach like Harbaugh or Andy Reid, who he went on to play for from 2013-2017 with the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith was able to go on a solid run, making the Pro Bowl three times and winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020.
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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Sep 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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