Geno Smith is a good quarterback. That simple phrase should make for a boring read, and to some, it will. Those are the ones that see past the stigma of the Seattle Seahawks quarterback.
Smith will never be able to prove himself to many doubters. They will always see him as a backup quarterback. That view is completely unfair, of course. Smith is now in his third season as the Seahawks' starter, and each season, he has led the league in some positive category.
In 2022, he led the NFL in completion percentage (and the NFC in touchdown passes). Last year, Smith led the league in fourth quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. Through seven weeks of the 2024 season, Smith leads the league in passing yards. Bad quarterbacks don't do those things.
Richard Sherman speaks the truth about Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith that some will never believe
Plus, where would Seattle's offense be without Smith's incredible ability to move around the pocket? He has avoided more sacks this year than times he has been taken down for a loss. He creates plays, such as the touchdown pass he threw to running back Kenneth Walker in Week 7, that lesser quarterbacks cannot do.
Richard Sherman knows this. The former Seahawks (and, ok...49ers) cornerback should be a future Hall of Famer from his play, but he has also turned into an excellent commentator on the league. He never played with Smith in Seattle, but that doesn't mean he doesn't respect him. He does so more than many others appear willing to do.
After Smith threw a dart to wide receiver DK Metcalf near the end of the first half in a 34-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Sherman accurately said on social media about Smith, "They never give Geno enough credit. He is under the most duress all game and looks like a surgeon when kept clean."
To go one step further, Smith is often forced to play like a surgeon even when under constant duress. Smith has been sacked the third-most times (20) this season, but he still has the sixth-best completion percentage (68.5). He has the 13th-best total QBR (62.0). While he has thrown six interceptions, he doesn't show up until 18th in interception percentage.
Plus, at least three of his interceptions - one was a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage, one was basically a Hail Mary, and one was caused by a poor route by DK Metcalf - aren't Smith's fault. The same doubters will blame those picks on Smith because, to them, he can do little right.
The reality about Geno Smith is closer to what Sherman wrote. The quarterback gets too much disrespect, and yet, he can be clinical when given time. Even when he doesn't have time, he is still productive and rarely the reason the Seahawks do not win.