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Geno Smith's ill-fated time with the Las Vegas Raiders came to an end after just one season when he was traded to the New York Jets before the start of the NFL's new league year on March 11.
Pete Carroll – who coached Smith during their lone season together in Las Vegas and across five years with the Seattle Seahawks – believes the 35-year-old quarterback will find success with the Jets despite how his Raiders tenure went.
"I love talking about G," Carroll said of Smith in an interview with ESPN, his first since being fired by the Raiders. "I think I see him differently than a lot of people see him. I love him and appreciate him differently."
Carroll heaped praise upon Smith during the interview, expressing confidence in the two-time Pro Bowler while shouldering the blame for his struggles with the Raiders.
"He's a phenomenal quarterback, he really is," Carroll said. "He had a fantastic offseason and preseason with us, and he comes out in the first game, has a great first game. It was all fitting. It was exactly the right time for us. Then we just faltered and faltered. We didn't do well enough, coaching.
"We should've had him better prepared for the things that happened, and that wouldn't have happened," he added. "I take a lot of responsibility in that. We didn't prepare him well enough in the offseason even though he looked great and we felt we had everything lined up. It was very, very disappointing for us both."
Smith started 15 games for the Raiders in 2025 after being acquired during the offseason for a third-round pick. He posted half-decent numbers across the season, completing 67.4% of his passes for 3,025 yards and 19 touchdowns but also threw a league-leading 17 interceptions while leading Las Vegas to just a 2-13 record.
All told, Smith finished the season as Pro Football Focus' 34th graded quarterback among 38 qualifiers. His 84.7 passer rating ranked 30th among 33 players who qualified for the stat.
Nonetheless, Carroll insisted Smith's poor performance stemmed, in part, from systemic issues within the team – including the team's decision not to significantly upgrade its offensive line ahead of the 2025 season.
"He got off to such a miserable start, and it wasn't just him," Carroll said. "It was the whole thing. We just didn't function well early on, and he got behind the eight ball right from the beginning.
"Everybody wanted to blame him for it, and he took it and took it and took it, and then they captured him – an exchange or whatever," Carroll added, referencing when Smith raised his middle finger to the Raiders fans following a 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. "He just didn't get to reap the benefits of our relationship."
Now, Smith will attempt to rebound after his rocky year. He will be joining his third different NFL team of the last three seasons, but Carroll is optimistic the veteran quarterback will be able to make things work with the Jets.
"If he figured out [New York] was a good place for him and he wanted to do it, and he was part of the decision, then I couldn't support him more," Carroll said. "If he saw the reasoning and felt the support and the opportunity, I couldn't be in more favor of it. I love the guy and want the very best for him. He deserves it. He worked really hard to get where he is."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jets' Geno Smith earns vote of confidence form Pete Carroll
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Pete Carroll – who coached Smith during their lone season together in Las Vegas and across five years with the Seattle Seahawks – believes the 35-year-old quarterback will find success with the Jets despite how his Raiders tenure went.
"I love talking about G," Carroll said of Smith in an interview with ESPN, his first since being fired by the Raiders. "I think I see him differently than a lot of people see him. I love him and appreciate him differently."
Carroll heaped praise upon Smith during the interview, expressing confidence in the two-time Pro Bowler while shouldering the blame for his struggles with the Raiders.
"He's a phenomenal quarterback, he really is," Carroll said. "He had a fantastic offseason and preseason with us, and he comes out in the first game, has a great first game. It was all fitting. It was exactly the right time for us. Then we just faltered and faltered. We didn't do well enough, coaching.
"We should've had him better prepared for the things that happened, and that wouldn't have happened," he added. "I take a lot of responsibility in that. We didn't prepare him well enough in the offseason even though he looked great and we felt we had everything lined up. It was very, very disappointing for us both."
Smith started 15 games for the Raiders in 2025 after being acquired during the offseason for a third-round pick. He posted half-decent numbers across the season, completing 67.4% of his passes for 3,025 yards and 19 touchdowns but also threw a league-leading 17 interceptions while leading Las Vegas to just a 2-13 record.
All told, Smith finished the season as Pro Football Focus' 34th graded quarterback among 38 qualifiers. His 84.7 passer rating ranked 30th among 33 players who qualified for the stat.
Nonetheless, Carroll insisted Smith's poor performance stemmed, in part, from systemic issues within the team – including the team's decision not to significantly upgrade its offensive line ahead of the 2025 season.
"He got off to such a miserable start, and it wasn't just him," Carroll said. "It was the whole thing. We just didn't function well early on, and he got behind the eight ball right from the beginning.
"Everybody wanted to blame him for it, and he took it and took it and took it, and then they captured him – an exchange or whatever," Carroll added, referencing when Smith raised his middle finger to the Raiders fans following a 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. "He just didn't get to reap the benefits of our relationship."
Now, Smith will attempt to rebound after his rocky year. He will be joining his third different NFL team of the last three seasons, but Carroll is optimistic the veteran quarterback will be able to make things work with the Jets.
"If he figured out [New York] was a good place for him and he wanted to do it, and he was part of the decision, then I couldn't support him more," Carroll said. "If he saw the reasoning and felt the support and the opportunity, I couldn't be in more favor of it. I love the guy and want the very best for him. He deserves it. He worked really hard to get where he is."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jets' Geno Smith earns vote of confidence form Pete Carroll
Continue reading...
