After a Turbulent Tenure with the New York Jets, Geno Smith Poised for Full-Circle Comeback
Authored by sportsite777.com, Mar 11, 2026
Quarterback Geno Smith began his NFL career with the New York Jets, who selected the West Virginia product in the second round, 39th overall, of the 2013 NFL Draft.[1][2]
In his rookie season, Smith started 13 games for the Jets, completing 275 of 443 passes for 3,049 yards with 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.[2][3] He appeared in 13 games again in 2014, throwing 13 touchdowns against 13 interceptions for 2,723 yards, but was benched on multiple occasions during the campaign.[2][3]
On August 11, 2015, Smith suffered a broken jaw during a preseason altercation with Jets linebacker IK Enemkpali, sidelining him for the first nine games of the season.[4][2] He returned to start two of six appearances that year and made one start in three games during the 2016 season before New York released him on August 29.[2][3]
Smith signed a one-year contract with the Jets' MetLife Stadium co-tenant, the New York Giants, in March 2017 but was released before the regular season.[1][2] He saw limited action with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, completing 2 of 5 passes for 37 yards in one game.[2][3]
Smith joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2019, initially serving as a backup before taking over as the full-time starter in 2022. That season, he started all 16 regular-season games, passing for 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, earning Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and his first Pro Bowl selection.[1][5]
Smith made the Pro Bowl again in 2023 after throwing for 4,224 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions across 15 starts. The Seahawks finished 9-8 that year but missed the playoffs.[2][3]
| Year | Games Started | Passing Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 13 | 3,049 | 12 | 21 |
| 2014 | 13 | 2,723 | 13 | 13 |
| 2015 | 2 | 741 | 2 | 5 |
| 2016 | 1 | 63 | 0 | 0 |
Stats compiled from verified databases.[2][3]
Sources
- Publisher/Organization: NFL.com
Article/page title: Geno Smith
Accessed: November 2024
https://www.nfl.com/players/geno-smith/ - Publisher/Organization: Pro-Football-Reference.com
Article/page title: Geno Smith Career Stats
Accessed: November 2024
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitGe00.htm - Publisher/Organization: ESPN
Article/page title: Geno Smith Player Profile
Accessed: November 2024
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/13983/geno-smith - Publisher/Organization: ESPN
Article/page title: Jets' Geno Smith has broken jaw after teammate's punch
Publication date: August 11, 2015
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/13347462/geno-smith-jets-qb-broken-jaw-ik-enemkpali-punch - Publisher/Organization: NFL.com
Article/page title: Geno Smith named AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year for the 2022 season
Publication date: February 9, 2023
https://www.nfl.com/news/geno-smith-named-ap-nfl-comeback-player-of-the-year-for-the-2022-season-0ap3000001747924