Quarterback Geno Smith felt slighted by the lack of assurances the Seattle Seahawks provided prior to trading him to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Obviously, they have young guys in the building that they want to step up and be leaders, and they got a new head coach last year,” Smith told The MMQB’s Albert Breer, adding, “When you’re talking about business, and you’re talking about a quarterback who wants not only to get paid – every player wants to get paid – but to be respected, that’s the most important thing. It’s the respect factor.
“And I just felt like there was a disconnect there.”
Smith clarified that the disconnect with the Seahawks didn’t have anything to do with where the team was last year but instead where the club envisioned itself going. The veteran signal-caller holds no ill will toward his former club, which expressed its desire to build around its young core moving forward.
Smith led the Seahawks to a 10-7 record in 2024 but fell short of qualifying for the postseason by losing on a tiebreaker to the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams.
The two-time Pro Bowler set a career high with 4,320 yards and had a 70.4% completion rate last year. Smith established himself as the starter for the Seahawks between 2022-24. He passed for 12,961 yards and 105 touchdowns compared to 72 interceptions during his five playing seasons in Seattle.
Smith’s agent told him after his 2024 campaign that three teams were interested in trading for him, including the Raiders. While he remained open to all scenarios, Smith admits there was an attraction to continuing his career in Las Vegas.
Smith says he leaned on former Seahawks and current Raiders coach Pete Carroll whenever he got frustrated last year, describing him as “special.” The 34-year-old Smith played under Carroll from 2020-2023.
“A lot of the things that he was telling me, a lot of conversations we had really kept me steady throughout the season and kept my head on straight. Because, again, man, this is a team that I gave everything I had to,” Smith said.
“I just thought the opportunity in Vegas, man, it was just too, too, too great to pass up,” he added.
Reuniting with Carroll wasn’t the only factor that pulled Smith toward the Raiders. He shared his admiration for offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, whom he’s wanted to work with for quite some time. Part owner Tom Brady also reached out, complimenting Smith on his decision-making and leadership.
The Raiders handed Smith a two-year extension worth up to $85.5 million this month. The deal includes $66.5 million guaranteed. Now, Smith is focused only on getting to work with his new club.
“What I was talking to Tom about, this is something he said, and this is true: ‘We don’t want to celebrate contracts. We want to celebrate wins,’” Smith said. “And the thing is, that just kind of set the tone for the team. This is our quarterback. This is the direction we’re headed.”
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