Geno Smith Says He’s Learning to Handle Criticism
By Josh Sanchez
New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith has been dealing with his fair share of criticism since entering the NFL, but he isn’t letting the negative energy get to him. Smith is working on focusing his energy towards becoming a better signal-caller and he says that he is learning to deal with the criticism that is amplified by being in the New York media.
“It’s just eye-opening. It allows you to see exactly what business you’re in,” Smith said, according to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com and Jim Miller on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I understand it’s part of my job to handle that. I’m going to take it in stride and do all the things that are necessary to make me and my team look good.
“From the standpoint of me being a diva, you talk to my teammates and coaches from Little League. Nobody will say that. From the standpoint that I switched agents because of where I fell in the draft, I’m not naive. I understand an agent can’t get you selected higher or lower. It’s based on what teams need and the decisions they make in the front office.
“Just the whole draft experience and everything that went down, I was supposed to be leaving the draft and all that stuff, that was inaccurate again. There were a lot of things that were said that were anonymous and inaccurate. But all that comes with [the territory]. I’m built for it, so I’m not really worried about it.”
That is a positive for Smith.
If he is truly learning to deal with all of the criticism, then he will be able to turn his attention towards learning the ropes of the NFL.
In New York, with a franchise that is completely out of control, Smith will need to have thick skin. There isn’t a second of his play that will not be overanalyzed, so hopefully he really is ignoring the negative comments about his attitude off-the-field.
What Smith really needs to do is learn to deal with the media and playbook.
If he can grasp both of those aspects of being a NFL athlete, he could turn in to the quarterback that the Jets were hoping he would become when they selected him with their second-round pick.
What do you think about Geno Smith as a NFL quarterback? Sound off in the comments section and share your thoughts.