The New York Jets are bringing back a familiar name at quarterback. The Jets have reportedly traded for Geno Smith following his disappointing stint with the Las Vegas Raiders. The move immediately sparked reactions across the NFL world, with fans and analysts weighing in on Smith returning to the franchise that originally drafted him.
NFL World Reacts to Geno Smith Returning to Where His NFL Career Began
The news sparked conversation across the league. The history between the Jets and Smith is a big reason why. ESPN’s Adam Schefter added context shortly after reporting the trade.
“Geno Smith was drafted by the Jets in 2013 and spent the first four years of his career with the organization. Now he’s back to finish his story. As Geno once said: ‘They wrote me off, I ain’t write back though.'”
Smith’s return to New York has put the spotlight back on the unusual arc of his career. It began with the Jets and now comes full circle with this move. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn enters his second season on the hot seat, and this move ties the team’s hopes directly to Smith’s success.
The move of the year
Geno Smith back with the Jets. Awesome and hilarious at the same time https://t.co/lx7WbuRPhk — Mike Catalana (@MikeCatalana) March 10, 2026
After a nine-year separation, Smith returns to the team that drafted him. NFL writer David Lombardi leaned into the storybook nature of the move. Smith has another opportunity to repair his reputation by coming back to the Jets.
ESPN Vikings beat reporter Kevin Seifert added context about what the move means for the quarterback market.
“Well … that makes things a bit more clear in Minnesota,” Seifert wrote. “Geno Smith was definitely an option the Vikings were considering if he was released. The Jets get ahead of that here.”
13WHAM’s Mike Catalana called the trade the “move of the year” and said the idea of Smith returning to the Jets was both awesome and hilarious at the same time.
NFL insider Ari Meirov recalled the 2015 locker room incident involving Smith during his first stint with New York.
Smith suffered a broken jaw during a confrontation with teammate IK Enemkpali over a $600 plane ticket dispute related to a football camp. The injury sidelined Smith for several weeks and effectively derailed his season.
Meirov said he never thought Smith would ever step foot in the Jets organization again after that moment, calling the quarterback’s return quite a story.
Despite being a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Smith enters the season with questions to answer. He finished last year ranked 34th among quarterbacks with a 68.6 PFSN NFL QB Impact score and led the league with 17 interceptions. Still, his Seattle run from 2022 to 2024 showed he can produce at a high level.
