Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith suffered an injury to a finger on his right hand in the third quarter of Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Smith, the winner of the 2020 Heisman Trophy, sustained the injury when he collided with Ohio State linebacker Pete Werner while trying to make a catch. He spent more than 20 minutes in the medical tent before leaving the field for further examination. He returned to the sideline in the fourth quarter wearing warmup gear with his right hand heavily bandaged.
Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters after the game that one of Smith's fingers was dislocated.
"It was dislocated and they couldn't get it back in," Saban said. "If they'd have got it back in, he would have been fine. He actually wanted to play, we just didn't allow him to."
The senior wide receiver was dominant before exiting, making 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns. He was named offensive MVP, with all of his production coming in the first half.
"I'll be all right," he told ESPN's Maria Taylor when asked about the injury in a postgame interview.
His performance earned the attention of LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, J.J. Watt and Davante Adams, among others.