Theismann talks about Alex Smith's injury - 33 years to the day after he suffered the same injury

Alex Smith seemed to know immediately this was bad. Really, really bad. He covered his face with both hands, then a white towel, before his fractured right leg was placed in an air cast and he was carted off the field.

One of his predecessors as quarterback of the Washington Redskins, Joe Theismann, was at Sunday's game and sensed the same -- all-too-familiar with what a season-ending broken leg looks and feels like.

Exactly 33 years to the day after Theismann's gruesome injury during a nationally televised game , Smith went down with breaks to his right fibula and tibia midway through the third quarter of Washington's 23-21 loss to the visiting Houston Texans on Sunday and was replaced at QB by backup Colt McCoy. Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Smith would have surgery "right away."

On Sunday night, Theismann talked to FOX 5 about his experience - and Alex Smith's.

Click on the player to listen to Theismann's words.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.