• Expanded Presence Includes Get Up and First Take Appearances
• Remains a Signature Part of ESPN’s Super Bowl Coverage
• Sunday NFL Countdown Returns Week 1 (Sept. 7)

ESPN has re-signed three-time Pro Bowler and 16-year NFL quarterback Alex Smith to a multi-year agreement, solidifying Sunday NFL Countdown’s roster heading into the 2025-26 NFL season. The former No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick out of Utah, now entering his fifth NFL season at ESPN, will expand his presence, appearing on Get Up and First Take occasionally throughout the football season. Smith will also continue to be a part of the network’s Super Bowl coverage each year.

Since joining Sunday NFL Countdown in 2021, Smith has provided fans with steady, insightful analysis on all aspects of the game, with particular emphasis on the quarterback position, drawn from his prolific playing career. His expertise shines through on a weekly basis as he taps into his wide-ranging NFL experience which included playing for notable head coaches, dealing with high expectations and a multitude of familiar playing scenarios.

His strong relationships in the NFL continue, as part of Sunday NFL Countdown, as well as SportsCenter and NFL Live, the College Football Hall of Famer has conducted sit-down interviews with some of the game’s biggest star including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Jared Goff, Aaron Rodgers and Jim Harbaugh.

This past season, Smith bookended ESPN’s Super Bowl LIX coverage with Postseason NFL Countdown pregame, before joining Chris Berman and Booger McFarland for NFL Primetime postgame, live from the Mercades-Benz Superdome Field in New Orleans.

Sunday NFL Countdown 2025-26 Season Debut
Sunday NFL Countdown, ESPN’s premiere three-hour Sunday NFL pregame show, returns Sunday, September 7 with Smith alongside Mike Greenberg, Tedy Bruschi, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan and Adam Schefter (10 a.m. ET, ESPN). This season the show will originate from ESPN’s studios in New York City.

In April 2021, Smith concluded his career which began with the San Francisco 49ers in 2005. The California-native passed for more than 35,000 yards, threw nearly 200 touchdowns and appeared in more than 175 games, including five seasons with Kansas City (2013-17) and three with Washington (2018-20) following eight with the 49ers (2005-12). He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2013, ’16 and ’17.

Smith was named 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year after his remarkable return from a devastating leg injury in 2018. In October 2020, he led Washington to a 5-1 record as a starter. His journey was chronicled in ESPN’s acclaimed E60 documentary, Project 11, which detailed the life-threatening complications, grueling rehabilitation and unwavering determination that defined his recovery. An additional E60 special later captured his story in full as he transitioned into retirement.