NFL NEWS

NFL Notebook: Smith returns home from hospital

The Sports Xchange

December 16, 2018 at 10:02 pm.

Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith has been released from a hospital after undergoing multiple surgeries on his broken leg.

Smith’s NFL future is in doubt as he attempts to recover from a spiral leg fracture that became infected after multiple surgeries.

From a financial perspective, the Redskins would have to absorb $20.4 million worth of salary-cap space next season and $21.4 million in 2020 should the 34-year-old Smith be unable to play.

Smith sustained two broken bones in his right leg in the third quarter of a 23-21 loss to the Houston Texans on Nov. 18 after he was sacked by Kareem Jackson and J.J. Watt. As Smith rolled over, his ankle was dangling awkwardly.

Smith’s wife, Elizabeth, took to social media on Sunday morning to show the quarterback is back home with his family.

Smith was in his first season with the Redskins after he was acquired in an offseason trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the season with 2,180 yards and 10 touchdown passes against five interceptions.

— Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon apologized to fantasy football enthusiasts whose playoff aspirations were dimmed by his absence in Thursday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gordon has been sidelined for three games with a knee injury, with the latest game serving as a semifinal tilt in a majority of fantasy leagues.

The 25-year-old Gordon took to Twitter to offer an apology to the masses that might have selected him with a first-round pick in their drafts.

“To my fantasy owners …who lost without my help I’m sorry. Crunch time in these playoffs and I couldn’t come thru !!” Gordon wrote.

Gordon also included a gif that said, “You trusted me. And I failed you.”

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Gordon was injured on a reverse early in the second half of a 45-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 25, with a leg whip by defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche taking him down for a 10-yard loss.

Gordon has a team-leading 802 rushing yards on 153 carries for a 5.2 per-carry average. Gordon also has 44 catches for 453 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns (nine rushing, four receiving) on the season.

— Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins was fined $12,500 for his criticism of a replay official, multiple media outlets reported Sunday.

Jenkins took an official to task after the Eagles were unsuccessful in their challenge of a ruling off the opening kickoff of last week’s game, as Dallas Cowboys returner Jourdan Lewis appeared to fumble the ball.

The official ruling was that there was no recovery by the Eagles despite only players of that team around the ball.

— New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft visited the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday, one day before his team faced the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.

Kraft, who is Jewish, paid his respects at the site of the shooting that saw 11 people killed and several others injured by a gunman on Oct. 27. The attack at the Synagogue is in the neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, which is a few miles from the Steelers’ practice facility.

The 77-year-old Kraft then attended services with the congregation at its temporary location — Rodef Shalom — along with his son, Josh.

The elder Kraft accepted the invitation of the rabbi to speak to the congregation. He noted that it meant more to him to be with the congregation than the outcome of Sunday’s game between the Patriots and the Steelers.

Kraft then provided a boy, Max — who was having his bar mitzvah — with four tickets to the game at Heinz Field.

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman acknowledged the significance of being in Pittsburgh by tweeting out the names of those killed in the shooting. Edelman’s father, Frank, is Jewish.

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