Alex Smith

When I got drafted, I was a spread-option quarterback. It was, 'OK, you've got to get under center, throw to the fullback, throw to the tight end. You've got to learn to be a pro quarterback.' And there was a learning curve there, and I did have to learn some of that. ”

Playing quarterback, you rely on everybody. Everybody impacts you. ”

When I watch good friends play, it's almost worse when you're watching, because you have zero impact: you have zero hand in what's going on. When I'm playing, you don't have that because I'm involved in it. I have some kind of say in what's going on. ”

I think the quarterback position, moreso than in all of sports, no other position compares - you rely on so many people to do your job. ”

You have to prove yourself year in and year out, and if you can't get the job done, every team is going to go and try and find somebody else that can. ”

As a quarterback, I always feel like it's my job to be that steady, calm presence in there. ”

You're the quarterback, if you lose games... it's the head coach and the quarterback. If you're not winning, it's on you. ”

It's easy when you're always winning. ”

It is healthy to have competition and intense competition, and then, when you walk away from it, you are still teammates, and you play the same position and that we can still put the team first. ”

More often than not as a quarterback, your performance is a reflection of the guys around you. I've been fortunate to be around some pretty good guys. ”