Alex Smith on why Urban Meyer will be successful in Jacksonville
Terez Paylor speaks with Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith about why his former Utah head coach Urban Meyer has the skillset to succeed as the new coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hear the full conversation on the Yahoo Sports NFL Podcast.
Video Transcript
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TEREZ PAYLOR: All right, I'm very pleased to welcome former 49ers quarterback, former Chiefs quarterback, and current Washington quarterback, a man I've covered for a long time, Alex Smith to the podcast, who's joining us on behalf of his new apparel line called Attitude Is Free. And Alex, I promise you we'll get to that in a second. But first of all, man, Urban Meyer, new head coach for Jacksonville. You obviously played for him at Utah.
Where are you at and how Coach Meyer's going to do in this league? What do you think will be the biggest adjustment, but what do you think you'll really fit well? Because some of his strengths actually are tailor-made for the league.
ALEX SMITH: I'm excited for coach. He and I still talk often in text over the last couple of years obviously with everything I was going through. He was a guy that constantly reached out to me.
I'm excited. It's something that like, going back even to obviously when I was drafted, I'd see coach a couple of years later. And he'd always be interested. He'd say, hey, you think it'll work? You know, you think my style would work? And so funny to see.
And so I think it also is interesting obviously, you know, when I knew him, he was coming from Bowling Green. And we were still at Utah. And he was so young. And to see him evolve as he made his different stops and obviously at Florida and then Ohio State.
And I'll tell you this. Coach Meyer is such a smart, and diligent, and organized coach. I don't think he would have jumped into this if he didn't feel absolutely confident in what he was doing. And I think the amazing thing, obviously, is just even if you look over the span of my career,j you know, when we were running the spread at Utah. And when I came in, it was still the big question, can you be a pro quarterback?
TEREZ PAYLOR: Mhm.
ALEX SMITH: I had to prove that I could play under center, and play with a fullback, and all this. And that's not the day and age anymore.
TEREZ PAYLOR: No.
ALEX SMITH: You're going to get to run a system that a lot of these guys coming out of school have been running and suits a lot of their strengths, you know. And. So I think that's also a positive at this point. You look at the young guys coming out. It's no more of trying to fit these guys into some pro mold. You really get to utilize everything they can do. Certainly look at the QBs, the young guys that are doing a lot in the league right now.
And so I'm excited for coach. I'm going to be as interested as anybody to see how he does. And obviously, you know, pulling for him.
TEREZ PAYLOR: All right, Alex. Now, tell me about the new apparel company. It's called Attitude Is Free, right? This is your first collection. You designed this line. And I think the back story is really interesting. Our listeners are going to want to know about it. Like, how'd you come up with this idea?
ALEX SMITH: So for me, so kind of partnering with Attitude Is Free. And for me, you know, I've kind of taken this. I get to all those Kansas City guys before we go out on the field. For me, it was always talking about living.
Just live, be present, mindful, and enjoying the ride. As the stage gets bigger, enjoy it, but don't let it kind of hijack you out of the moment. And for me, it was always about that and about mindset, I think, and attitude.
And a lot of that I obviously learned I think through bumps in the road early in my career, and it's something that I still tell myself, I still practice. So everything I've gone through though these last two years, I think all that helped me get through to these few last years. Like I said, the hardest thing I've ever done, and I think attitude and mindset were the difference maker.
And I'm not saying I had great days every single day because I had my fair share of bad ones. But to have my wife and kids and the people around me help me snap out of it and to continue to be present in every single day to enjoy the small victories, you know, made the difference. And certainly, I know I wouldn't have been out on the field this year if I didn't have that, if I didn't try to practice that every day.
And so for me, it's a perfect collaboration. What better way than to walk around with it on your chest or a hat. Because it truly is. You know, we talk about controlling what we can control, and we wake up every single day. The number 1 thing we control is our attitude and being present.
And life throws a lot of stuff at us, all of us. And I think just be able to embrace everything that's coming at you. Be present in all of it.
TEREZ PAYLOR: You can find Alex Smith collection on attitudeisfree.com. Alex, enjoy your break, man. I know maybe you get a chance to breathe right now. You certainly deserve it. Thank you so much for making the time.
ALEX SMITH: Appreciate it, man. Thank you.
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