Geno Smith went from an NFL afterthought to prime-time hero to … poet?
That’s how smooth the Seattle quarterback was with his words following the Seahawks’ dramatic 17-16 win over the Broncos on Monday night. The home crowd in Seattle was fired up all night for the return of Russell Wilson, who was making his Denver debut. The Seahawks never trailed, leaning on an opportunistic defense and an efficient Smith to stay one step ahead. The Broncos attempted a 64-yard field goal in the final seconds, but Brandon McManus pulled his kick wide left.
After the game, Smith was interviewed and asked about his journey to get to this point. Reflecting on his NFL odyssey—which saw him go from second-round pick for the Jets before becoming a backup for the past seven seasons—Smith offered a succinct and profound summation of how Monday night’s outcome came to be.
“They wrote me off—I ain’t write back, though,” Smith said. “That’s the problem, I ain’t write back. Let’s go!”
Smith was the 39th overall pick by the Jets in 2013 and started for most of the next two seasons to subpar results. From 2015 to ’20, he made a total of two starts while suiting up for the Jets, Giants, Chargers and Seahawks. He was Wilson’s backup the past three seasons and performed well over four games (three starts) in 2021. He then earned the starting job over Drew Lock this year.
Smith was sharp against Denver on Monday, completing 23 of 28 pass attempts for 195 yards and two scores. His success is a great story, and a reminder that all it takes is one chance to turn everything around.
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