part of his leg. ABC's decision to screen the reverse-angle instant replay several times despite its palpably graphic content shocked millions of viewers, with some describing it as "the most horrific professional sports injury of all time." As the replays were shown, Gifford repeatedly urged viewers at home to exercise discretion: "If your stomach is weak, just don't watch." The repeated screening of this replay remains to this day one of the most controversial in-game television production decisions in NFL history. The compound fracture of the tibia and fibula led to insufficient bone growth during Theismann's recovery, leaving his right leg shorter than his left. As a result, the injury ended Theismann's career, forcing him to retire at the age of 36. Theismann never blamed Taylor for his injury. While Taylor has apologized to Theismann many times, the quarterback has reiterated that Taylor was merely doing his job. Theismann's injury was highlighted in the film The Blind Side as the reason that, after the quarterback, one of the highest paid football players is the left tackle, who protects a right-handed quarterback's blind side. The same injury occurred exactly 33 years later to another Redskins quarterback, Alex Smith, on November 18, 2018, in a game against the Houston Texans when cornerback Kareem Jackson and defensive end J. J. Watt sacked Smith, a game that Theismann himself was attending. However, unlike Theismann, Smith managed to play an additional season two years later, making his season debut against the Los Angeles Rams and retiring at the end of the season after he was released from the team a month prior. Career statistics CFL statistics NFL statistics Washington Commanders franchise records Most career wins by a quarterback (87) Most career passing yards (25,206) Most career passing completions (2,044) Most career passing attempts (3,602) Broadcast and acting career In 1985, Theismann helped call Super Bowl XIX for ABC alongside Frank Gifford and Don Meredith, becoming only the second player to do commentary on a Super Bowl telecast while still an active player at the time (the first was Jack Kemp when he helped call Super Bowl II for CBS). Theismann served as a color commentator on regional CBS NFL coverage in 1986 and 1987, then worked on ESPN's Sunday Night Football telecasts from 1988 to 2005, and on their Monday Night Football coverage in 2006. In addition to covering football, Theismann hosted the first half