Former Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith told Clay Skipper of GQ in February that he didn't believe the team wanted him back before the 2020 season following his recovery from a devastating leg injury.
On Wednesday, head coach Ron Rivera acknowledged that he had his doubts about Smith's comeback.
"It was always in the back of my head, what if he gets hurt again? What if he hurts that leg again? I'll be the guy that put him back on the field to get him hurt again," he told reporters.