Seahawks QB Geno Smith Goes Viral With Classy Move After Beating Jets

Geno Smith is one win and a little help away from clinching his first NFL playoff berth.

But when he was a young quarterback, he was on the other side — a struggling signal caller who after 2014 had lost his starting job and looked poised to be a career backup.

Smith’s journey from hype to rags back to riches is unique, but it’s still something a lot of young quarterbacks can learn from, including New York Jets signal caller Zach Wilson. So it was fitting that after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Jets, 24-6, in Week 17, Smith offered Wilson some words of encouragement during a postgame hug.

The moment received a lot of attention on social media.

Geno Smith Remains Classy Ahead of & After Jets Matchup

Smith began his career with the Jets, but after throwing 34 interceptions in his first 30 games, New York benched the former second-round pick.

That benching changed the projection of Smith’s career. From 2015 to 2021, Smith started just five games and played for four different teams as a backup.

He landed with the Seahawks in 2020. Smith attempted just 5 passes while mostly sitting behind Russell Wilson that season, but two years later, he received the opportunity to earn the starting job.

Despite a season where Smith has beaten three of his former teams, including the franchise that drafted and benched him, the veteran quarterback has been nothing but positive about his previous NFL experiences.

“Honestly, it doesn’t mean anything outside of the fact that we gave ourselves another chance to go to the playoffs,” Smith told the media after the victory when asked about the significance of beating the Jets. “I’m actually grateful for being drafted to the NFL by the Jets. Although things weren’t perfect there, there were some good times.

“There are some people who are still there that I hold dear to my heart. I have a lot of good relationships in New York. It was just another game for me. It was good seeing some old friends and people that we play with.”

Geno Smith’s Tenure vs. Zach Wilson’s With Jets

The veteran quarterback is experiencing a breakout season with the Seahawks. He leads the NFL with a 70.2% completion percentage and in Week 17, he surpassed the 4,000-yard plateau in passing for the first time in his career.

Smith also has a career-high 29 touchdowns versus 9 interceptions.

The incredible season from Smith should be used as a lesson for young quarterbacks who are first heralded as franchise savers but struggle initially in the league.

Not everyone arrives from college ready to live up their hype. Some quarterbacks, such as Smith, take some time to develop.

Wilson arrived in the league with a lot more hype than Smith as the No. 2 overall pick in 2021. But like Smith, Wilson has posted more interceptions than touchdowns during his first two NFL seasons.

Overall, Wilson has completed 55.2% of his passes while averaging 6.4 yards per attempt with 15 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He is 8-14 as a starter.

Smith had a 57.5% completion percentage, averaged 6.9 yards per pass and threw 25 touchdowns with 34 interceptions in his first two seasons. He also had an 11-18 record.

But his success after that slow start should be an inspiration to young quarterbacks such as Wilson. Not getting discouraged, along with hard work, as Smith never did is key.