![]() ![]() ![]() The previous was Zeke Bratkowski who went nine years between opening day starts from 1962 to 1971. When Smith starts on Monday night, he’ll be the first QB in 50 years with at least an eight-year gap between opening day starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. “Being in the room with those guys and just learning football, being in different football systems, being around different coordinators, I was able to gain a ton of knowledge,” Smith said. Between 20, Smith started one game and that was embroiled in controversy when he got the nod in place of Eli Manning with the New York Giants in 2017 and snapped Manning’s streak of 210 consecutive starts.īut he also tried to learn in those situations, whether it was serving as Manning’s backup, backing up Philip Rivers with the Chargers or his time working with Wilson in Seattle. In the time since, Smith slid into the role of backup wherever he went. By the time 2015 started, Smith was better known for being punched and suffering a broken jaw at the hands of a teammate in a locker room disagreement. The Jets finished that season 4-12 and went 3-10 in the games that Smith started. He was beginning his second season with the New York Jets and after leading them to an 8-8 record in his rookie season. The previous time Smith entered a season as the starting quarterback was 2014. The week of camp when it appeared Lock would have a chance to make significant gains to at least pull even with Smith, he became sick with COVID-19 and gone was his chance to bypass Smith in the competition to at least begin the season. Smith beat out Drew Lock for the starting job, although Smith was always in the lead and never fell behind. I’m just focused on taking care of business,” Smith said. Russell was the man here for a while and I know there will be emotions on both sides, but I’m not caught up in that. “I do understand everything that is going on around us. His return to Seattle was always going to be a primetime showcase, and seemingly a perfect cap to Week 1. Wilson’s tenure in Seattle ended this offseason after 158 regular-season starts, 292 touchdown passes, nine playoff victories and a long list of franchise records. After a decade in Seattle that included two NFC titles and the only Super Bowl championship in franchise history, Russell Wilson will make his debut with Denver against the team that gave him an NFL opportunity as a third-round pick in 2012. ![]() Most of the quarterback attention on Monday night will be on the other side of the field and rightfully so. It gives him a really good chance to be a great asset for us.” “I would say this is the best Geno has ever been and the best command he’s ever had. He’s ready to roll,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. It will be eight years since the previous time he was a starting quarterback on the opening weekend of the regular season.Īnd depending on how this season goes, it could be Smith’s last chance to be in that role. “Back then, there were a lot of things that I didn’t know, not because I was not trying, but because I was just young,” Smith said.Ī lot older and hopefully wiser, Smith’s chance at again being a starter begins Monday night when the Seahawks host the Denver Broncos. SEATTLE - When Geno Smith was last a full-time starter to begin a season in the NFL, he was just a kid in relative terms. The Broncos open the NFL season Monday night against the Seahawks in Seattle. Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, left, greets quarterback Russell Wilson as he heads to a news conference before a practice last week at the Broncos’ headquarters in Centennial, Colo. ![]()
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