Geno Smith’s first run with the Jets never really got off the ground, and John Idzik says the setup in New York made the climb even steeper.
Smith was only 23 as a rookie, dropped into the spotlight immediately and asked to handle life as the starter from Day 1 in the media capital of the world. That kind of pressure can swallow a young quarterback whole, and it did not help that the Jets were not a strong team in 2013 and 2014.
“Think about it: Here’s a kid coming from West Virginia, all of a sudden he’s thrust into the media capital of the world - he’s the starter from Day 1,” ex Jets GM John Idzik said, per The Athletic.
Smith’s path after leaving New York says plenty about how much he had to absorb along the way. He spent the next six years as a backup with four different clubs before getting another shot, then helped lead a team to the playoffs. Idzik said he wasn’t shocked to see Smith finally hit this level.
“For him to go through what he did there and then spend the next six years as a backup for four different clubs, come back and lead a club to the playoffs - it was remarkable. Was I surprised?
No. Knowing Geno, he’s got both a mental and physical toughness about him.
And let’s face it, he took advantage of those years having been behind the likes of Eli and Phillip Rivers and Russ in his heyday.
“You could see that in his play too. He’s much more patient, not forcing the ball as much. He has much better situational awareness, manages games well, but he still has that arm talent that attracted you to him back in 2013.”
Smith eventually re-established himself as a starter in the 2022 season after not being one since 2014, and he’s since earned Pro Bowl honors in both 2022 and 2023. The version of Smith playing now looks far steadier than the one the Jets first handed the keys to all those years ago.
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Williams has now been fined multiple times this season, including earlier penalties for taunting and illegal celebrations, and he was not the only Detroit player on the report. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Jahmyr Gibbs also drew fines for celebrations and vulgar acts, giving Jets fans a fresh reason to revisit a game that already carried more edge than the final score suggested. [Read more 🡒]