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One of the last times we saw Geno Smith in a New York Jets uniform, he was getting punched.
Turns out, the haymaker from IK Enemkpali was far from a knockout blow. Now it's Smith's turn to punch back as the quarterback heads back to the green-and-white.
The New York Jets agreed on a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders that will see "Gang Green" acquire Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. It's a move that reunites Smith with the team that drafted him with the 39th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Who won the Geno Smith trade? Grades for Jets, Raiders in QB deal
Smith experienced a bumpy ride with the Jets both on and off the field. He posted a 12-18 record in 30 starts, tossing 28 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.
Now he's back, hoping for better fortune this time around. We're taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting the punch heard 'round the NFL world.
Smith suffered a broken jaw following a locker room altercation with Enemkpali.
Head coach Todd Bowles announced the injury on Aug. 11, 2015, which came after a dispute over $600. Smith was supposed to attend Enemkpali's football camp, but the two were going to split the airfare to fly the quarterback down to Texas.
Enemkpali paid the total cost of the flight, which was $1,200 and wanted his money back. It's unclear when the defender wanted his money back, but it's safe to say it was past due and the collection agency opted for something more than a phone call.
There are conflicting reports about the nature of the punch and whether Smith provoked the harm. Regardless, the Jets promptly cut Enemkpali.
Smith missed time with a fractured jaw, the result of what Bowles called a "sucker punch," and rode the bench behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Enemkpali's NFL career ended after the 2015 season, when the 2014 sixth-round pick played 11 games for the Buffalo Bills.
As for Smith, he would appear in just three games between the 2015 and 2016 seasons, later signing with the New York Giants as a free agent in 2017.
He would go on to revive his career in a big way with the Seattle Seahawks, leading the team to a 28-24 record in 52 starts, tossing 76 touchdowns to only 36 interceptions. Smith would win the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022 and finished ninth in MVP voting.
After a tough year with the Raiders that saw Smith revert to his struggles with the Jets, the quarterback will hope to deliver the goods this time around.
If nothing else, the Jets offense would like their new-old quarterback to deliver some punches to opposing defenses, rather than be on the receiving end of them.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Revisiting the moment Geno Smith was sucker punched by a Jets teammate
Continue reading...
Turns out, the haymaker from IK Enemkpali was far from a knockout blow. Now it's Smith's turn to punch back as the quarterback heads back to the green-and-white.
The New York Jets agreed on a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders that will see "Gang Green" acquire Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. It's a move that reunites Smith with the team that drafted him with the 39th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Who won the Geno Smith trade? Grades for Jets, Raiders in QB deal
Smith experienced a bumpy ride with the Jets both on and off the field. He posted a 12-18 record in 30 starts, tossing 28 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.
Now he's back, hoping for better fortune this time around. We're taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting the punch heard 'round the NFL world.
Why was Geno Smith punched in Jets locker room?
Smith suffered a broken jaw following a locker room altercation with Enemkpali.
Head coach Todd Bowles announced the injury on Aug. 11, 2015, which came after a dispute over $600. Smith was supposed to attend Enemkpali's football camp, but the two were going to split the airfare to fly the quarterback down to Texas.
Enemkpali paid the total cost of the flight, which was $1,200 and wanted his money back. It's unclear when the defender wanted his money back, but it's safe to say it was past due and the collection agency opted for something more than a phone call.
There are conflicting reports about the nature of the punch and whether Smith provoked the harm. Regardless, the Jets promptly cut Enemkpali.
Smith missed time with a fractured jaw, the result of what Bowles called a "sucker punch," and rode the bench behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Enemkpali's NFL career ended after the 2015 season, when the 2014 sixth-round pick played 11 games for the Buffalo Bills.
As for Smith, he would appear in just three games between the 2015 and 2016 seasons, later signing with the New York Giants as a free agent in 2017.
He would go on to revive his career in a big way with the Seattle Seahawks, leading the team to a 28-24 record in 52 starts, tossing 76 touchdowns to only 36 interceptions. Smith would win the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022 and finished ninth in MVP voting.
After a tough year with the Raiders that saw Smith revert to his struggles with the Jets, the quarterback will hope to deliver the goods this time around.
If nothing else, the Jets offense would like their new-old quarterback to deliver some punches to opposing defenses, rather than be on the receiving end of them.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Revisiting the moment Geno Smith was sucker punched by a Jets teammate
Continue reading...
