ESPN has re-signed three-time Pro Bowler and 16-year NFL quarterback Alex Smith to a multi-year agreement. The former top overall pick out of Utah, now entering his fifth season at ESPN, will increase his on-air presence, appearing occasionally on Get Up and First Take throughout the football season. Smith will appear weekly on Sunday NFL Countdown while also contributing to the network’s annual Super Bowl coverage.
Since joining Sunday NFL Countdown in 2021, Smith has become a consistent voice for viewers. He provides in-depth analysis across the league, with particular emphasis on quarterback play. Drawing from a 16-year NFL career, he leverages firsthand experience with elite head coaches, high-stakes games, and complex game situations to provide context and insight.
During last season’s coverage of Super Bowl LIX, Smith bookended ESPN’s broadcasts. With pregame analysis on Postseason NFL Countdown, he then joined Chris Berman and Booger McFarland for NFL Primetime postgame live from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. His contributions were widely praised for clarity, perspective, and his ability to break down complex plays for viewers.
Smith’s professional relationships will continue across ESPN programming. He has conducted exclusive interviews with some of the NFL’s biggest names, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Jared Goff, Aaron Rodgers, and Jim Harbaugh. Additionally, he has been featured on SportsCenter and NFL Live, bringing insider knowledge to fans nationwide.
Sunday NFL Countdown, ESPN’s flagship three-hour Sunday pregame show, will return Sunday, Sept. 7, from the network’s New York City studios. Smith will join hosts Mike Greenberg, Tedy Bruschi, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan, and Adam Schefter at 10 a.m. ET, marking the start of another season of analysis and storytelling for fans.
Smith concluded his playing career in April 2021. An impressive run that began with the San Francisco 49ers in 2005. The California native passed for over 35,000 yards, threw nearly 200 touchdowns, and appeared in more than 175 games. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2013, 2016, and 2017 and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020 after returning from a devastating leg injury suffered in 2018.
Smith’s remarkable story of resilience and determination was chronicled in ESPN’s acclaimed E60 documentary, Project 11, which highlighted the life-threatening complications, grueling rehabilitation, and eventual triumph that defined the final chapters of his playing career.
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