Geno Smith is back with the New York Jets this season, and he’s certainly hoping his second stint with the team that drafted him goes more according to plan.
When Smith was taken in the second round out of West Virginia, he had just two seasons in the starting quarterback role, where the team went 11-18 in those games, and an infamous locker room punch ultimately led to Ryan Fitzpatrick stepping in during 2015 as the team’s starter.
Fitzpatrick, now out of the game and serving as an analyst for “Thursday Night Football,” believes the Jets are getting a completely different Smith this time around. And he thinks it’s coming at the perfect time for a franchise in desperate need of veteran leaders.
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Geno Smith of the New York Jets participates in a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, N.J., on Aug. 11, 2026. (Getty Images)
“This is like a Hollywood script that you wouldn’t even believe,” Fitzpatrick told Digital, while highlighting his partnership with VRST, the men’s activewear and apparel brand from DICK’S Sporting Goods . “Demario Davis is back, too. I have a couple of teammates that are back there. But I think the one thing they’ve been craving for years now is leadership, and hopefully Geno’s able to come in and provide that.”
Smith’s career took the path of a backup, one many believed he would be moving forward, never again reaching the heights of a starter unless necessary with the team he signed for. He infamously got the nod for one game in 2017 for the New York Giants, which ended Eli Manning’s 210 consecutive starts streak.
Then, after a stint with the Los Angeles Chargers, Smith landed as the backup to Russell Wilson with the Seattle Seahawks. It was in the Pacific Northwest where Smith got his big break, staying on as the team’s starter in 2022 when Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and the veteran proved he can still be the franchise leader on offense.
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Smith earned two Pro Bowls with the Seahawks, while throwing for over 4,300 yards during the 2024 season. However, he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders to reunite with Pete Carroll in a one-and-done season for both quarterback and head coach.
The Jets wanted a reunion of their own and traded for Smith in March for a sixth-round pick. Now, it’s up to Smith to rewrite what Jets fans knew about him during his time in New York.
Fitzpatrick believes he’s equipped now to do just that, even as critics say this will simply be the same old Jets in 2026.
“The biggest thing he’s gonna provide is stability and professionalism. I think it’s cool for some of the people in the building who were there with Geno in his younger days to see him come back and see how much he’s grown as a person, as a player. That professionalism is something that team really needs,” Fitzpatrick explained.
“Obviously, bringing in a guy like Demario Davis, how he’s still doing it. I mean, you talk about a physical position and a guy who has been as physical as somebody, to still enjoy going out there and thumping heads on every down. He’s also going to bring a professionalism to that locker room, and I like what [head coach] Aaron Glenn did there. These are two pieces, one on offense and one on defense. We’re going to show you what you need to do every single day to become a professional and a good NFL player. I think they’re on the right track there.”
Geno Smith of the New York Jets throws during training camp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, N.J., on July 29, 2026. (Getty Images)
On paper, the Jets have pieces that Smith can utilize on offense, which is being called by new coordinator Frank Reich. Garrett Wilson, despite being on one of the worst teams in the NFL since he was drafted in 2022, had three straight 1,000-yard seasons before injuries hurt his production in 2025.
There’s also running back Breece Hall, though dealing with a groin injury, who will be pivotal in the team’s rushing attack under Reich. He’s also a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield, and someone Smith can rely on during the season. The Jets also spent two of their three first-round picks on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. David Bailey, the second overall pick out of Texas Tech, will be featured at defensive end on their defense.
Smith has pieces to succeed if they can find the right chemistry. And just like a Hollywood script, Fitzpatrick is rooting for his old teammate to write that happy ending as he gets a second chance with New York.
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COOL AND COMFORTABLE WITH VRST
In the coming months, Fitzpatrick will be all over with the “Thursday Night Football” crew, providing his best analysis on the featured early game of the NFL schedule. It’s quite the active lifestyle, especially when he also has to throw in his family duties on top of that.
Fitzpatrick partnered with VRST because of how well he feels the activewear’s performance and style fit exactly what he’s going to be doing no matter what the day throws his way.
“For me, the authenticity of it — it just captures my vibe,” he said. “It’s not just the resort wear, it’s the active lifestyle stuff. The Limitless pants — there’s a lot of stuff that I’m pulled in a lot of different directions whether it’s running to a kid’s soccer game, or driving a carpool, or flying somewhere for ‘Thursday Night Football.’ All the different things I do, to be able to look good and feel comfortable, I think those are the two biggest things for me that made this a no-brainer for this partnership.
Ryan Fitzpatrick looks on from the TNF on Prime set prior to an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Nov. 13, 2025. (Getty Images)
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“It fits my active lifestyle and it actually looks good.”
Fitzpatrick is known for his vibrant colors and patterns with his TNF fits, which VRST is helping him out with this season. But no matter the occasion, he knows he has options that will be comfortable, while also showcasing that evolved men’s style fit for today.
“You can wear it in so many different situations. That’s the biggest thing for me,” he said. “I’ll have people come up to me and ask me about the shirts, or ask me about the pants. Look, I just got off a plane, I’ve been flying all morning. I feel comfortable. I’m standing out here at a soccer practice in the same thing feeling great and looking great.”
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