Another week, another setback for the Las Vegas Raiders. On Thursday night, the Silver and Black fell 10-7 to the Denver Broncos, marking their seventh loss of the season. This defeat, however, came with more than just scoreboard pain as both quarterback Geno Smith and rookie guard Jackson Powers-Johnson picked up injuries.
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Head coach Pete Carroll confirmed postgame that Powers-Johnson’s injury “will keep him out for a while.” Veteran Smith, on the other hand, fought through what was later diagnosed as a quad contusion.
He suffered it on the opening play of the fourth quarter, scrambling to his right before Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto tripped him up and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach fell late on top of him, driving a knee into Geno Smith’s thigh. Trainers immediately rushed in as the quarterback limped to the blue tent.
While Smith missed just two snaps during his time at the tent, with backup Kenny Pickett taking over briefly, his return wasn’t the same, as he was visibly hobbled on the field. From that point, every movement was laborious as Geno Smith winced between plays while his dropbacks shortened. Yet, somehow, he kept going.
After the loss, NFL insider James Palmer posted a video showing Smith limping heavily toward the locker room, one hand pressed against his waist for support.
Geno Smith not moving well after this one. pic.twitter.com/GCvc6lV182
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) November 7, 2025
The clip quickly spread across social media, with worried fans chiming in. “I think he’ll have a tough time getting out of bed tomorrow,” one commented. Another joked, “Me going to the bathroom every night,” comparing their own slow shuffle to the quarterback’s painful gait.
The rest, however, couldn’t stop blaming the Raiders’ O-line for getting Geno Smith sacked 6 times during the game. “His line was atrocious all night,” one wrote on X. Another added, “That limp seemed to be intermittent during the game.”
That said, despite the jokes and the blame, Geno Smith is one tough guy for finishing the game in his pain. But if he is to be believed, there is nothing extraordinary about his grit.
“That’s just kinda how I’m wired… I never want to leave my teammates out there alone. I feel like it’s a big responsibility of mine to be out there and to do whatever I can to help us win. I felt like I could try to tough it out, and that’s what I tried to do,” Smith said later.
HC Carroll also echoed that sentiment, saying, “He wanted to go back in in the worst way. He got whacked in the quad… That’s just him fighting.”
As things stand, reports indicate that Geno Smith’s injury isn’t expected to be long-term. But the lingering sight of a 35-year-old quarterback limping off after yet another loss tells its own story. For a team now 2-7 and running out of answers, even their toughest player is starting to show the wear. Safe to say, the Raiders are hitting new lows each week.
