Geno Smith Finds True Fit with Raiders After Seahawks Exit
Geno Smith’s NFL journey has been anything but ordinary, and now, with the Las Vegas Raiders, he feels like he’s finally landed in the right place. After six years with the Seattle Seahawks—first as Russell Wilson’s backup and then as the team’s starter—Smith was traded to the Raiders this past offseason. On paper, his time in Seattle was a success: he posted a 27–22 record as a starter, made two Pro Bowls, won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022, and even led the league in completion percentage that same season. Yet despite all of those accomplishments, he never truly felt like Seattle was his team.
Smith explained that part of the issue came down to identity and fit. He admitted that he always felt like he was trying to replace Wilson, a near-impossible task given Wilson’s legacy with the franchise. That shadow made it hard for Smith to feel ownership of the team, and culturally, he didn’t think he matched the organization’s aesthetic. His confident, outspoken personality didn’t always sit well with the Seahawks’ front office, and he even acknowledged that the way he carried himself probably rubbed some people the wrong way. In his words, if that bothered them, then maybe they weren’t the people he wanted to “go to war with.”
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By contrast, his move to Las Vegas has brought an entirely different energy. For the first time, he’s been brought in as the unquestioned starter, not a backup filling in for someone else. The Raiders made it clear they wanted him to lead, and that sense of trust has given Smith a fresh sense of purpose. He put it simply: “I finally got my team.” In his mind, the Raiders don’t just fit him as a quarterback, they fit him as a person. The city, the culture, and the franchise’s attitude all feel like home in a way Seattle never did.
Another factor that made this move special is his reunion with Pete Carroll. Although Carroll was let go by the Seahawks before Smith’s departure, he resurfaced with the Raiders and played a big role in bringing Smith along. Smith said that once Carroll was in Las Vegas, he knew it was only a matter of time before the two would be reunited. Other offers may have been on the table, but his priority was to be with the coach who had believed in him from the start.
Now, with a contract that pays him more than he ever made in Seattle, and with a coach who trusts him to lead, Smith feels settled. He’s even hinted at wanting to finish his career in silver and black. For now, though, his focus is on the present—helping the Raiders build momentum after their Week 1 win and proving that this new chapter will be the best one yet.
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