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Pete Carroll admits Raiders failed Geno Smith before eventual Jets trade
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- Pete Carroll admits Raiders failed Geno Smith before eventual Jets trade
The New York Jets appear to have gotten their quarterback situation figured out for 2026, and it's someone who already knows the building. Geno Smith is coming back to where it all started after the team grabbed him from the Las Vegas Raiders in a late-round pick swap for this year's draft.
Smith's NFL road has been anything but straight. After leaving the Jets the first time, he bounced around with the New York Giants , Los Angeles Chargers , Seattle Seahawks , and Raiders over 12 seasons. He racked up 22,168 yards and 124 touchdowns along the way, plus two Pro Bowl nods and a Comeback Player of the Year in 2022.
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But his last run in Vegas did not exactly inspire confidence that he can still lead a team to the playoffs. However, former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll sees it differently.
Pete Carroll takes blame for Geno Smith struggles
In a recent interview with ESPN , Carroll stood up for Smith. Even taking the blame for how things fell apart with the Raiders last year.
"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."
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"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 continued.
"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."
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith looks to throw against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jets betting on Geno Smith rebound
Carroll coached Smith in Seattle from 2019 to 2023, so trading for him in 2025 felt like a safe bet. It was not. Smith threw a league-high 17 picks and got sacked 55 times in a season that went sideways fast. Carroll even fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after 11 games trying to salvage something.
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But the league has a short memory when it comes to quarterbacks having one bad year. The Jets are banking on that. They got Smith cheap while the Raiders move on to grab Fernando Mendoza with the top pick.
After running through Justin Fields , Tyrod Taylor , and Brady Cook last season, bringing in Smith feels like an actual upgrade for Gang Green.
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