Geno Smith had perhaps one of the greatest catchphrases in NFL history last season. He was also quite good for the Seattle Seahawks, leading them to the playoffs and being an MVP candidate for half of the season.
No one trusted Smith or thought he was any good at this point in his career. He had failed to live up to the expectationsand had bounced around the league as a backup before getting that opportunity.
Now, he’s the undisputed QB1 of the Seahawks and has just signed a huge contract after that breakout season. That’s why HC Pete Carroll got a little emotional when talking about his situation.
Pete Carroll, John Schneider Praise Geno Smith After Breakout Season
“There were a lot of years when Geno had to sit there waiting,” Carroll said. “The story that has been unveiled about believing in yourself and confidence and trust and never giving up, it’s a vivid illustration to see this happen.”
“He always knew, we just had to let it out,” the coach added. “That’s what you did, Geno. You always knew that you could do this, and when it happened and the opportunity was there for you to take over the reins, you handled it so flawlessly. We were grateful to watch it happen. It was a blast. We need to win a couple more games, we know that, we need to do a little bit better, but we still did a lot and you accomplished a tremendous amount.”
Seahawks GM John Schneider went a little further than Carroll. He claimed Smith’s story was an inspiration for people all over the countryand thanked him for what he did for the organization:
“I want to thank Geno,” Schneider said. “Geno, I want to let you know what an inspiration you’ve been to men, women, young, old, all around the country. Lessons about faith, perseverance, work ethic, being a good person. Watching you last year was awesome and I know you’re super excited about the future. So thank you to you. Thank you for working with us.”
Geno Smith’s story reminds us that sometimes all a players needs is a change of scenery and an organization that actually trusts him. Maybe, some of the guys we thought were busts weren’t that bad at all, but I guess we’ll never know.