Geno Smith is a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, and now we officially know why.
The Raiders quarterback discussed why he wanted to play for the Silver and Black and how former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll influenced his decision to sign with the Raiders after he was dealt.
Smith, who Seattle traded to the Raiders for a third-round pick, had a 68.5 completion percentage and 76-36 touchdown-to-interception rate in his five seasons playing for the Seahawks. But outside of Seattle he is just 12-19 as a starter with 29 touchdowns and 36 INTs.
The Seahawks drafted quarterback Jalen Milroe with the pick they acquired from the Raiders in the Smith trade.
Why Did Geno Smith Want To Play For The Raiders?
According to the Seattle Times, Smith turned down a two-year contract offer worth between $80-$90 million and requested a trade instead.
So when asked why he wanted to play for the Raiders, who acquired Smith in March, he voiced a laundry list of reasons.
“Everything about it,” Smith said when asked why he wanted to play for the Raiders. “Coach Carroll, Las Vegas, the Raiders, the Silver and Black. This is a historic franchise — one of the most historic franchises in all of sports — so to be a part of that and to say I can wear this logo and wear that helmet is special to me.”
Smith added the Raiders are “headed in the right direction” and “wanted to be a part of” the Raiders’ culture, which is interesting to consider since Carroll is their fifth coach in the past nine seasons. Las Vegas has twice as many double-digit-loss seasons in the past decade (4) as winning seasons (2).
They have only played in one postseason game since moving to Las Vegas in 2020 and have the second-longest playoff-win drought in pro sports. The Raiders’ last postseason win came in the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 19, 2003.
Still, Smith’s eyes lit up when Carroll’s name came up, even though at 73 years old, he is about to become the oldest head coach in NFL history when he coaches the Raiders’ Week 1 game against his former club, the New England Patriots.
“I think Coach Carroll is extremely relatable,” Smith said. “He allows guys to go out and just be themselves, and he’s a fun person to be around. If you’ve ever been around him, you can just see how positive he always is.”
What Did The Raiders Want Geno Smith?
The Seahawks dealt Smith and went in a different direction by signing Sam Darnold and drafting Milroe.
But Carroll has discussed why he wanted Smith on the roster, and part of it was for his leadership skills. Smith was asked about how leadership came to him.
“I think leadership to me comes naturally, being the oldest member of my family,” Smith said. “For me, when it comes to leadership, it comes down to integrity — what you do when no one’s watching.
“I’m not the biggest talker. Instead, I’m the one trying to be the hardest worker. So I’m just trying to lead by example and push myself and push my teammates to get better every day.”
