Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith suffered an apparent injury during the New York Jets’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, November 15, and the initial footage raised immediate concerns about his health.
Smith went down following a hard hit during the AFC East matchup at MetLife Stadium. Video of the play circulated on social media shortly afterward, with early reporting suggesting the veteran quarterback was struck near his left knee.
Jets reporter Zack Rosenblatt was among the first to report the incident, posting on X that Smith was down before offering an additional observation about the hit.
“Geno was hit pretty bad in the left knee it appeared,” Rosenblatt wrote.
The severity of the injury was not immediately clear, and there was no confirmed diagnosis in the initial reports.
This looks really, really bad.
Pray for Geno.
Zack Rosenblatt reported that Smith left the game and Cade Kludnik replaced him. Rosenblatt said Smith was being evaluated for a concussion.
Geno Smith Injury: Video Shows QB Taking Frightening Hit Against Bills
Video shared by NFL news aggregator Dov Kleiman showed Smith getting hit during a play against Buffalo, prompting an immediate reaction across social media.
“Geno Smith got WRECKED,” Kleiman wrote on X, adding that the play looked particularly concerning.
The footage showed Smith in the middle of a developing play as Buffalo defenders converged on the quarterback. The contact appeared to involve his lower body, consistent with Rosenblatt’s initial observation about the left knee.
Rosenblatt later reported Smith was being evaluated for a concussion.
The incident represents a potentially significant development for a Jets offense that has relied on Smith throughout the 2026 season.
Entering Sunday’s game, the 36-year-old quarterback had completed 183 of 271 passes for 2,078 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions through nine appearances.
New York entered the matchup with a 2-7 record, looking to reverse a difficult stretch against a Buffalo team that had won seven of its first eight games.
Geno Smith Injury Raises Concern for Former Seahawks Star
Although Smith now plays for New York, his injury is especially notable for Seahawks fans who watched him revive his NFL career in Seattle.
After spending several seasons as Russell Wilson’s backup, Smith emerged as Seattle’s starting quarterback in 2022 and earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors.
He threw for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns that season, helping the Seahawks reach the playoffs. Smith remained Seattle’s starter through the 2024 campaign before the franchise moved in a different direction.
Seattle traded Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025 and subsequently turned to Sam Darnold at quarterback. Smith spent the 2025 season with Las Vegas before joining the Jets for 2026, returning to the franchise that originally selected him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.
His return to New York had provided another chapter in an NFL career defined by persistence and second chances.
That made Sunday’s injury scare especially concerning, particularly with Smith having established himself as the Jets’ primary quarterback this season.
Cade Klubnik is another quarterback on New York’s depth chart if the team needs to make a change.
For now, the most important question is Smith’s health. The Jets had not issued a confirmed diagnosis in the initial reports, leaving his availability and the extent of any injury unresolved.
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