Signing Geno Smith was one of the major moves the Las Vegas Raiders made this offseason. They gave him a two-year, $75 million deal, including $66.5 million guaranteed. His cap hit will be $40 million in 2025, so while the 34-year-old may not be the long-term answer in Vegas, he will definitely be their QB1 for at least the next year.
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Smith was able to secure such a deal after one of the most heartwarming career resurgences you’ll ever see in sports. Left for dead after brutal stints with the New York Jets and Giants, the star QB stayed in the mix as a backup for the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks from 2018 to 2021. Then, he got his second chance.
Smith seized that opportunity with both hands and feet. He earned his first Pro Bowl and Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022. Now, he’s playing for Tom Brady on the Vegas Strip. And, according to reports, Brady, who is now a minority owner of the Raiders, was a key factor in convincing Smith that this Raiders rebuild is worth being a part of.
That said, now that Smith’s settled in at the Raiders’ facilities, he feels comfortable talking about what it’s like to play for a team owned by the GOAT. He even had a few jokes for his new boss.
“It’s good to be on the same side with him, you know, he beat me a few times. I’m still a little mad about that. But, it’s good to have a guy like him (by our side), just the type of player that he was,” said the 34-year-old QB.
“Everything that Tom brings to the game, who he is as a man. Just to see and talk to him, and for him to give me the wisdom and the knowledge that he’s had throughout his career to help me extend my career,” he added.
Smith went on to say that Brady’s ability to play deep into his 40s and maintain a high level of play is inspiring to him. It’s something he is striving for. He also admitted how cool it is to be able to call Tom Brady at a moment’s notice, just if he needs a few pointers.
Nothing like learning from the GOAT 🐐@GenoSmith3 shares his excitement on working with @TomBrady and the @Raiders pic.twitter.com/OjHiwBqDz6
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 17, 2025
A bigger reason for Smith landing in Vegas was the new coach there: Pete Carroll. He was at the helm in Seattle when Smith was there and was instrumental in the franchise going all in on Geno in 2022. If it wasn’t for Carroll, Smith would likely still be a lightly used backup.
It’s no surprise, then, that Smith has nothing but praise for his head coach now that they’ve reunited.
“Coach Carroll man, he’s a guy who, we got great history together… He helped me turn my career around, obviously, Seattle gave me an opportunity. Just the type of coach he is; he’s legendary. Who wouldn’t wanna play for Pete Carroll? I grew up watching him and idolizing him. So all of this stuff is a dream come true for me.”
"Who wouldn't want to play for Pete Carroll"
Safe to say @GenoSmith3 is happy to be reunited in Vegas with his coach 🖤 #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/xQ3h2Zda3a
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 17, 2025
With Geno Smith at quarterback, the Raiders have some stability for the first time in a few years. They also boast two of the best players at their respective positions in Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers. Additionally, they hold the No. 6 overall pick, likely to be used on a generational running back prospect in Ashton Jeanty. On top of that, they’ve retained over $43 million in cap space, the second-most in the league.
