Geno Smith appreciates his time with the New York Jets
Geno Smith’s tenure as the hopeful franchise quarterback of the New York Jets was defined by intermittent flashes of brilliance mixed with extreme inconsistency.
Now a seasoned 31-year-old veteran who is set to embark on his first multi-game run as a starting quarterback since 2014, Smith is appreciative of his tumultuous tenure in New Jersey.
“It was awesome for me,” Smith said of his time with the Jets, via ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
“Any time you get adversity, it’s a chance for you to really show what you’re about and to respond. At the time, looking back on it, in that moment, was I totally aware of that? Probably not, but as you go on and you just grow, you just see how those things can help you and shape you to be better. I think that’s what it did.”
With Seahawks starting quarterback Russell Wilson on injured reserve following a procedure on his finger, Smith will start for Seattle on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET) as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.
Smith took over for Wilson during Seattle’s Week 5 loss to the Rams, completing 10-of-17 passes for 131 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It was his longest appearance since he made his most recent start for the Giants in 2017.
Wilson’s return timetable is unclear, but he is fully expected to return at some point this season. A report from ESPN‘s Adam Schefter says that doctors believe Wilson could return in four weeks, which would set him up to return in Week 10 when the Seahawks come out of their Week 9 bye to visit the Packers.
What we know for certain is that Wilson will miss at least the next three games now that he has been placed on injured reserve.
After leading the Seahawks into Pittsburgh on Sunday night, Smith is scheduled to captain the Seahawks for a pair of home games against the Saints and Jaguars. The New Orleans game will be played on Monday night, making it back-to-back games in the primetime spotlight for Smith.
Since his final season as a Jet in 2016, Smith has bounced around waiting for his next golden opportunity. He was a Giant in 2017, a Charger in 2018, and has been a Seahawk since 2019.
“Just sitting here and knowing I have the capability to play in this league but just not getting that opportunity for a number of years was a test of patience,” Smith said, according to ESPN.
Six years after his job as the Jets’ starting quarterback disappeared in an instant, the all-time leading passer in West Virginia history will get another chance to show the football world what he can do.
