Joe Theismann says Redskins' Alex Smith's leg injury 'exactly like mine'

July 17 (UPI) -- Former Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann said the leg injury Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith suffered last season was "exactly" like Theismann's career-ending injury over 30 years ago.

Smith sustained a broken fibula and tibia against the Houston Texans on Nov. 18, 33 years to the day New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor snapped Theismann's leg. Smith missed the rest of the 2018 season and is not expected to play this fall.

"As soon as [Smith's injury] happened, they happened to have a camera angle from behind," Theismann told NFL Media this week. "Now, it took me 20 years to see mine, but then all of a sudden with Alex, I saw this camera angle from behind him, and I looked at it, and I turned to [my wife] Robin and said, 'That's exactly like mine.'"

Smith recently had the external fixator brace keeping his right leg in place removed. He was seen throwing passes during Redskins workout this off-season but said he needs to learn to run again.

Washington acquired Case Keenum in a trade with the Denver Broncos and selected Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round of April's NFL Draft.

Smith completed 62.5 percent of his passes last year for 2,180 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions.

Theismann threw 160 touchdowns and was a two-time Pro Bowler for the Redskins from 1974 to 1985. He also won the NFL MVP award in 1983.