Alex Smith has said that he is "so happy" that the San Francisco 49ers have made the Super Bowl.
The quarterback lost his place in the 49ers' starting lineup in the second half of the season after sustaining a concussion, allowing Colin Kaepernick to impress in his absence.
Despite spending the last nine games as a spectator, the 28-year-old told Yahoo! Sports: "I'm so happy, man. This is so surreal. It's such a crazy time, such a crazy moment.
"Obviously, it's been a unique year, and it would be great to be in there. But I couldn't be happier. This is a great group of guys, and they're all Super Bowl-bound. I'm just so happy for all of them."
Smith has been linked to trades to a number of teams during the off-season, including the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Arizona Cardinals.
The 49ers sealed their place in this year's Super Bowl by beating the Atlanta Falcons 28-24 yesterday.
Sian Cowper
