A second-round pick out of West Virginia in 2013, Smith was a starter in his first two seasons with the Jets, throwing 34 shutouts and 11 wins in 29 starts. He is probably best remembered for the infamous incident where teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali spat at him in the locker room in the summer of 2015. Smith suffered a broken jaw and Enemkpali’s time with the team ended. Smith replaced Ryan Fitzpatrick and played just one game the following season. In his final Jets game of 2016, he threw a touchdown and helped New York to a 24-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
“It’s like this full circle moment for me to be honest,” Smith said. “I remember my last touchdown was to Quincy Enunwa there at MetLife Stadium, where I was playing with the Ravens the day I tore my collarbone. That started my journey and it all brought me back here to where it all started. I thank God for the opportunity. I thank the Jets for the opportunity.”
Where Smith prefers to look back with satisfaction, he does the same when it comes to the road ahead.
“Coach Glenn and I have been on the phone and he has a real plan,” he said. “I believe in what he and [general manager Darren Mougey] and everyone there is doing. They have a real plan and are ready to turn things around. Just being a part of it will be special. It’s like a movie. It’s like a movie script.”
In his first game with the Jets, Smith appeared as a small player, spending a season with the New York Giants in 2017 before a 2018 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers and two uneventful seasons with the Seattle Seahawks from 2019-2020 as Russell Wilson’s apprentice. Then came 2021, when Smith was pushed in for the injured Wilson. He played admirably, and when Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos in the offseason, Smith won the QB1 battle, his budding relationship with Pete Carroll blossoming.
Smith made back-to-back Pro Bowls from 2022-23 and won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year in his first season as a Seahawks starter.