Geno Smith Believes He's 'A Lot Better' as He Starts Second Chance with Jets

The veteran quarterback is confident he can turn around the Jets' fortunes after a rough season with the Raiders.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:50am

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Geno Smith, a 35-year-old quarterback, is returning to the New York Jets after a 10-year absence. He believes he is a much-improved player compared to his previous stint with the team from 2013-2016. Despite a tough 2025 season with the Raiders, Smith is confident he can help the Jets, who are coming off a 3-14 campaign, become competitive again and potentially reach the Super Bowl.

Why it matters

The Jets are banking on Smith's confidence and experience to help turn around their struggling franchise. After years as a backup, Smith believes he has grown as a player and is ready to lead the Jets back to relevance in the NFL. This second chance represents an opportunity for both Smith and the Jets to prove they can be successful together.

The details

Smith was traded from the Raiders to the Jets this week in exchange for a sixth-round pick. The Raiders will be paying most of Smith's salary, making him a relatively inexpensive option for the Jets at just over $3 million. Smith is coming off a difficult 2025 season in Las Vegas where he threw a league-high 17 interceptions and was sacked 55 times, the most in the NFL. However, he is confident that the Jets are getting a better version of him than the one that played for them from 2013-2016, when he had a rocky tenure that included a locker room altercation that resulted in a broken jaw.

  • Smith was drafted by the Jets in 2013 and played for them from 2013-2016.
  • The Jets traded for Smith this week ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

The players

Geno Smith

A 35-year-old quarterback who is returning to the New York Jets after a 10-year absence, hoping to turn around the struggling franchise.

Aaron Glenn

The head coach of the New York Jets, who is coming off a 3-14 season and needs to improve the team's performance in 2026 to save his job.

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What they’re saying

“I'm a lot better than I was those years. I believe that I still have room to grow. I believe that I still have a ton of years left on my body to play this game, and I want to try to continue to maximize them. … I believe the Jets are getting a better player than I was in Seattle. I know that for a fact.”

— Geno Smith, Quarterback (nypost.com)

“We want to go out there and give our fans something to be proud of, put a great product out on the field, be competitive, not just competitive, but win a lot of games and put ourselves into position to hoist that Lombardi at the end of the season. I think that's what we all play for as competitors, and I know our fan base has been longing for that. If I can be the guy to get that done, that's what I want to do. That's the reason we play this game.”

— Geno Smith, Quarterback (nypost.com)

What’s next

The Jets will need to see if Smith can translate his confidence into on-field success during the 2026 NFL season. The team's performance under Smith's leadership will be crucial in determining if he can be the long-term answer at quarterback.

The takeaway

Geno Smith's return to the Jets represents a second chance for both the player and the franchise. If Smith can live up to his self-belief and lead the Jets to a turnaround season, it would provide a much-needed boost of optimism for a team and fanbase that has endured years of losing.