The New York Jets trust Geno Smith to be their starting quarterback in the regular season. However, playing in preseason is different. Will the veteran play in the preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers though?
Head coach Aaron Glenn and Geno Smith himself confirmed his appearance for the game against the Buccaneers. “Just to get out there and just play ball, feel the real live game atmosphere, being in the huddle with my guys, having the clock run down, being in front of the fans back in MetLife,” Smith said.
Baker Mayfield won’t be playing vs Jets, but the Buccaneers will still want to win the game. Still, it’s unlikely that Smith will play the whole game. In fact, he is likely to play just a couple of offensive series, or a quarter at most.
Geno Smith’s preseason stats
Smith is a veteran in the NFL with more than a decade of experience. Sometimes, he’s been a starter, other times, he’s been a backup. Hence, his preseason appearances have been very irregular.
Geno Smith with the deep ball & a NICE catch off the tip by Isaiah Williams 🚀#Jets | 🎥 @nyjets pic.twitter.com/8hsFa0CMst
— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) August 8, 2026
| Year | Team | Comp | Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Las Vegas Raiders | 8 | 11 | 81 | 1 | 0 | 116.1 |
| 2024 | Seattle Seahawks | 4 | 5 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 95.8 |
| 2023 | Seattle Seahawks | 5 | 6 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 101.4 |
| 2022 | Seattle Seahawks | 23 | 39 | 256 | 0 | 0 | 78.6 |
| 2021 | Seattle Seahawks | 15 | 22 | 141 | 0 | 1 | 70.5 |
| 2019 | Seattle Seahawks | 18 | 34 | 221 | 2 | 0 | 88.0 |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Chargers | 31 | 48 | 347 | 3 | 1 | 96.4 |
| 2017 | New York Giants | 28 | 46 | 322 | 1 | 1 | 80.2 |
| 2016 | New York Jets | 16 | 28 | 191 | 2 | 1 | 87.1 |
| 2015 | New York Jets | 4 | 6 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 90.3 |
| 2014 | New York Jets | 21 | 34 | 224 | 1 | 1 | 78.6 |
| 2013 | New York Jets | 26 | 45 | 296 | 1 | 3 | 55.4 |
Jets’ preseason schedule
Two of the Jets’ three preseason games will be played at home. However, one of them is against the Giants, who also play in MetLife Stadium. Two of the opponents are from the NFC, with only the Pittsburgh Steelers being an AFC foe.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | Location | TV / Broadcast Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Friday, Aug 14 | vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7:00 PM | MetLife Stadium | NFL Network, WCBS 2 |
| Week 2 | Friday, Aug 21 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 7:00 PM | Acrisure Stadium | NFL Network, WCBS 2 |
| Week 3 | Friday, Aug 28 | vs. New York Giants | 7:30 PM | MetLife Stadium | WCBS 2 |
