#499 Alex Smith, 16 Year NFL Quarterback, on His Comeback from a Life Threatening Injury, the Importance of Gratitude, and Mentoring the Next Generation

Alex Smith (@AlexSmith_11) is a former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, and a 16-year NFL veteran quarterback. Known as one of the game's elite operational minds, Smith threw for over 35,000 career passing yards and earned three Pro Bowl selections while leading the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington Football Team. He is also the recipient of the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. After suffering a catastrophic, life-threatening leg injury in 2018 that required 17 surgeries, Alex defied all medical odds to not only walk again, but return to professional football. Off the field, his masterclass in leadership directly shaped the careers of talents like Patrick Mahomes, Colin Kapernick and Travis Kelce. Today he is an ESPN football analyst and has dedicated his post-playing career to teaching others how to conquer anxiety, reframe self-doubt, and find strength in their scars. In this episode, he shares his hard-won frameworks on resilience, thriving under immense pressure, and mastering the ultimate comeback mindset.

Connect with Alex: @AlexSmith_11

The #1 Bestseller CAPTAIN: THE ATHLETE'S GUIDE TO BEING AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAM LEADER is now available!  CLICK HERE TO ORDER

We are constantly asked "where have all the leaders gone?" Now more than ever, it is up to schools, clubs and coaches to develop our leaders, and this new book is a perfect guide to train and develop them. It is filled with stories of champion team captains on the professional and college level, Hall of Fame coaches, and more, and is a masterclass on leadership. Your athletes will learn from leaders such as Carles Puyol, Abby Wambach, Tim Duncan, Shane Battier, Richie McCaw, Carla Overbeck and Simone Biles. It will help your athletes understand the qualities needed to lead, the responsibilities they must accept, and the most common challenges they will face. The chapters are short and sweet and have discussion questions so that your leaders can work through them together and set your team up for great success. The book also comes with a  FREE downloadable 10-session curriculum so you can guide your team or the leaders in your school or club through the entire book.

FOR ORDERS OF 10 OR MORE, WE OFFER A $5 PER BOOK DISCOUNT. EMAIL John@ChangingTheGameProject.com to place your order.

BOOK A SPEAKER: Interested in having John present to your school, club or coaching event, either in person or virtually? Looking for leadership training for your student athletes, a co