St. Louis Rams’ Jason Smith thankful for the team’s support – NFL News
St. Louis Rams’ offensive tackle, Jason Smith, whose short National Football League (NFL) career has been marred with pretty serious injuries, has thanked his team management that has given the player another opportunity to prove his talent.
He said on Wednesday, April 18, 2012:
“I am happy they decided to keep me around so I am a new face, I’m a new, happy guy here.”
Smith started his professional NFL career with Rams in 2009. He was drafted as the second overall pick.
Soon after joining the Rams, Smith signed a six-year contract with a maximum value of over $60 million.
However, he was unable to prove his worth, not because he was unable to perform on the field, but because he got very less opportunities to step on the field owing to different injuries.
In his rookie year, Smith started five games while playing eight. Halfway through the season, he suffered concussion, which forced him out of the season.
Suffering concussion in his rookie year was not something Smith had expected while he was entering the professional, but as luck would have it, he had to sit out on the field.
After recovering from the injury, he Smith got back on to the field in his second professional season and did considerably well. He played 15 games and started all of them.
Things were going pretty much smoothly for him until the last season in which he could only play six games and suffered another concussion and neck injury during a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
That injury raised doubts on Smith’s chances of returning to the game as it gets really difficult for players to recover from concussion.
Not only that, it also prompts management to think of bringing some alternatives as the players are always prone to suffering concussion again.
However, none of the mentioned things have happened in Smith’s case and Rams have decided to give him another opportunity in the coming season.
Smith is presently working out in the team’s offseason programme and feeling completely fit. Even Rams’ head coach, Jeff Fisher, also said that he was excited to have Smith back. He said:
“Yeah, he’s good. He’s been here, he’s been working. He’s been working very well inside and his condition level is excellent. We’re excited about a new start for him, if you will.”
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