When the Seattle Seahawks traded franchise catch Russell Wilson last offseason, many dismissed them as a team that would, in their eyes, miss the playoffs in 2022.
The Seahawks handed their starting quarterback duties to Geno Smith, a man who had been seen for years as nothing more than a decent backup, as he hadn’t been a full-time starter since 2014.
But Smith had a dream season, leading the NFL with a 69.8 percent completion rate while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns.
As a result, the Seahawks started 6-3, finished with nine wins, and made the playoffs.
At one point, Smith made the meme-worthy remark of, “They wrote me off, I ain’t write back though.”
But he did “write back” in the form of a passage that appeared in The Players’ Tribune, and it is inspiring, as it reveals his winning mindset.
Geno Smith found some time to write back—and it’s a terrific read.
(via @PlayersTribune)https://t.co/V70CzniybZ pic.twitter.com/DOgEoctLMt
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 3, 2023
Smith was a second-round draft pick in 2013 by the New York Jets, and he immediately replaced Mark Sanchez as their starting QB.
But in both of his first two seasons, he threw more interceptions than touchdown passes, and he suffered a fractured jaw during training camp in 2015, which resulted in him losing his starting job.
He started to bounce around the league afterwards, and he served as Wilson’s backup in Seattle in 2020 and 2021.
There was no reason to believe Smith was going to have anything close to the season he had in 2022, but he proved everyone wrong.
Now, he has been rewarded with a three-year deal, and if he replicates his 2022 production next season, his comeback story will reach new heights.
NEXT:
Analyst Believes 1 Player Is The Right Choice For Seahawks At Pick No. 5
