Heading to play at his ex-Jets, Seahawks’ Geno Smith needs to corral his inner Brett Favre
Geno Smith is going back to his first NFL home.
This Thanksgiving weekend, as he prepares to face his former New York Jets on his old home field in the New Jersey Meadowlands on Sunday, the Seahawks’ 34-year-old quarterback says he is thankful for the team that gave him his first NFL chance.
“Always. I’ve always had tremendous love and respect for that organization,” Smith said Wednesday of the Jets, who drafted him in the second round in 2013.
They made him a starter immediately as a rookie.
“Obviously, the team that drafted me gave me a chance out of the gate,” Smith said.
“A lot of great people there. Some people that I was there with, a lot of those people are now gone. So as far as the whole revenge thing, that’s not on my mind. Like I said, man, there’s a lot of great people in that city that I still talk to and I still love and still support me.”
Does he still talk to Rex Ryan, his first NFL coach who gave him the Jets’ starting job as a rookie, for whom he went 11-18 as a Jets starter for two seasons?
“No,” Smith said flatly, “I don’t talk to Rex.”
The day after the last game Smith started and finished for the Jets, New York fired Ryan. That was on Dec. 29, 2014. The following preseason, in August 2015, Jets teammate IK Enemkpali punched Smith in the locker room, reportedly over money. New Jets coach Todd Bowles replaced Smith with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Smith never regain his starting job. He went on a seven-year trudge as a backup who rarely played for four teams: the Jets, Giants, Chargers and Seahawks.
Smith endured seven one-year contracts at minimum NFL salary, until the spring of 2022. That’s when the Seahawks made him their starter to replace traded Russell Wilson.
In his first full-time starting job in a decade, Smith has been selected for the Pro Bowl for the first two times in his career. This season, he leads the league in completions — and interceptions — entering his first time starting a game at the Jets in the Meadowlands. He started the Seahawks’ win in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, last season, but that was against the Giants.
“It’s the biggest game of the year because it’s the next game. But obviously, because I was drafted there it’s going to be a narrative that’s built,” Smith said.
“I haven’t been there in so long (for a Jets game).”
Geno Smith and Brett Favre
The Jets’ quarterback five years before they drafted and started Smith in 2013 was Brett Favre. That was after the Hall of Famer’s 16 years with the Green Bay Packers, and before his final two NFL seasons he played for Minnesota in 2009 and ‘10.
In Favre’s lone season with the Jets, he did what Smith is doing now. Favre led the league in interceptions. He threw 22 in 2008. Favre led the NFL in interceptions three times in his legendary, 20-year career.
Smith, a native of Miami, says he sees some of himself in how Favre played — and how he bounced back from a bad play.
In Seattle’s last three games Smith has thrown three interceptions in the red zone, including two into the end zone. He’s thrown five interceptions total in the last three games.
But he’s come back to win two of those games, and he rallied Seattle to send the third game, Nov. 3 against the Rams, to overtime in a 26-20 loss. Two weeks ago Smith rallied the Seahawks to beat the 49ers by leading an 80-yard drive with huge plays in the final 2 minutes, including the winning touchdown scramble run with 12 seconds left. Last weekend he sealed Seattle’s 16-6 win over Arizona with a third-and-8 scramble then strike for 18 yards to DK Metcalf.
“I mean I grew up watching football. My favorite player is Brett Favre,” Smith said. “Born on the same day.”
That’s Oct. 10.
“And what would Brett do? Keep slinging,” Smith, 34, said. “That’s the way we play the game. I never tried to be reckless. I’m always trying to make the right decision. But I do believe in myself. I believe in my arm. I believe in my process.
“I always talk to you guys about (that), and at times bad things happen. That’s the way this game goes. But you can’t let that affect you if you really are who you say you are, then you just go and play the next play.
“I just love the way he plays. I love his style,” Smith said of Favre, now 55.
Smith says he remembers Favre’s epic win over the Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum Dec. 22, 2003. The day after his father died, Favre completed 22 of 30 passes for 399 yards, the third-most of his career, and four touchdown passes to lead his Packers to a blowout of the Raiders in a Monday night national showcase.
“I think about a guy who played a game a day after his father passed. It’s probably something I would do,” Smith said this week.
“We just love playing football. And if he was hurt, still goes out there, he’s going to leave it all on the line. And again, we’re born on the same day. So, kind of my spirit animal.”
Seahawks need a cleaner Geno Smith
These first-place Seahawks need Smith to be a little less of the Favre-like gunslinger — at least the turnover part — to stay atop the division the final six games of the regular season.
Does it make his play caller nervous to know Favre is Smith’s QB idol?
“No, it doesn’t,” Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said.
“I know that there’s some obvious things there that Geno has had some tough moments this season. But I just keep believing in the preparation that he puts in every day that he continues to see those things, and he knows the things that he has to improve on and get better and play his best game.
“I think that that’s still out there for him. I know it is. Geno does too, and I think he’s going to continue to work on those decision-making in those critical moments.”
Two seasons after leading the league in completion rate while making his first postseason and first Pro Bowl for Seattle, Smith has completed 69.1% of his throws (280 of 405) through 11 games. His 3,035 yards passing are second only to Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (3,053).
But he has 12 interceptions to go with his 12 touchdown throws.
Grubb was asked what Smith’s best game would look like?
“His best game? Obviously, a win. No turnovers. And every time he has a critical decision, he makes the right choice and does not put the ball in jeopardy,” the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator said.
“Then, when the team asks him to or needs him to, he’ll make the biggest play in the biggest moment.”
This story was originally published November 29, 2024 at 10:34 AM.
