I have a ton of respect for Geno Smith. He is proof that if you continue to grind and put in the work, good things can happen, even if they are not so great from the start. I remember watching his dazzle in the Big 12 playing for Dana Holgorsen's West Virginia Mountaineers. Well over a decade later, he is about to embark on his next NFL journey by quarterbacking the Las Vegas Raiders for a familiar face.
Although his connection with head coach Pete Carroll is why he the Seattle Seahawks made him available for trade, it is the infinite praise Smith is getting from his new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly that is resonating with me the most right now. Kelly has admired Smith from afar, but his glowing remarks about the veteran Pro Bowl quarterback speak volumes to his leadership and his character.
It may be more tongue-in-cheek, but Kelly's comments could signify what may come next for Smith.
“He's great. Geno is literally like a second coach. When you’re in that room with him and [quarterbacks coach] Greg Olson, there [are] a lot of ideas going around. His football acumen is really off the charts, and it’s impressive to be around him.”
The fact Smith can relate to everyone on the roster is why he might make a fantastic coach one day.
“There’s not a lot of guys that have shown that resiliency. He can be so relatable to everybody, because he’s kind of lived that life. He’s been a high draft pick, [but] he’s also been a guy that has been told that a team doesn’t want him. The fact that he’s done it and come out to be the way he is now is a testament to him. He’s special.”
Smith still has plenty of good football left in the tank, but there may come a time when he is coaching.
Why Geno Smith might be the next NFL quarterback to become a coach
Smith may have the aptitude to do it, but it will really come down to want more than anything. Given who he is and what he has done at the college and pro level, Smith could get a coaching opportunity if he wants it. No, it may not be as a head coach right away like some people could be envisioning. Let's take a page out of what is working for another similar player from a previous generation now.
Mark Brunell is thriving as the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions. He too is a former Pro Bowler in the NFL after it did not work out with his first team. People best remember him from his days leading the Jacksonville Jaguars in the late 1990s, but he got his start in the NFL with Green Bay. After a near-decade run in Duval, Brunell would then go on to play for New Orleans and Washington.
See, Brunell is just now really starting to make his name as a coach. He went into media after retiring. Maybe that is an avenue Smith wants to get into? Frankly, he has made enough money and may want to fade off into the sunset instead. Truth be told, he will likely want to be front and center watching his younger cousin Jeremiah Smith become a superstar wide receiver in this league for years to come.
What I am getting at, and what Kelly may be hinting at, is Smith is giving off the undeniable traits of what a prospective coach possesses. His combination of being able to lead, mentor and win goes a long way at this stage of his career. While I think this will be a few or more years out, things have a funny way of working themselves out. For now, I cannot wait to see how he looks with the Raiders.
With Kelly not always being the most player-friendly coach, his comments speak volumes to me.