A Super Bowl champion chose to stay in the NFC instead of joining the New York Jets.
The New York Jets wanted a Super Bowl champion to join them.
However, he's staying in the NFC North.
The Jets, who acquired Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders, were interested in signing Carson Wentz, but he's re-signing with the Minnesota Vikings.
New Jets OC Frank Reich wanted Wentz on the team. Reich coached Wentz on the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.
Wentz used to be one of the best QBs in the NFL with the Eagles before tearing his ACL. The one-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion probably would have won MVP in 2017 had he not gotten hurt.
Wentz has 23,626 passing yards and 159 passing touchdowns in the NFL.
After trading Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jets' QB room is Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Smith, of course, is the starter.
Smith's best seasons in the NFL came with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 and 2023. He made the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023 and won the 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year Award.
But because Smith's lone season with the Raiders was a disaster, many people believe the Jets traded for a "washed" QB.
So, what does Smith think?
"I still have a ton of years left on my body to play this game and I want to continue to try and maximize it," Smith said, via ESPN. "And so I believe the Jets are getting a better player than I was in Seattle. I know that for a fact, in fact."
Smith led the league in interceptions last season with 17 and went just 2-13. The Raiders parted ways with him after just one season.
In his first stint with the Jets, Smith went 12-18 as a starter. He threw for 5,962 yards, 28 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. It wasn't pretty.
However, Smith is older and wiser now and believes he's going to prove his critics in New York wrong.
"I just felt like I was back where I belonged, man. It felt special," Smith said. "When I was drafted there, my goal was to play my entire career for the Jets and one day retire as a Jet. And although it didn't go exactly as planned, somehow, some way we got back here and I'm eager to make things right if I can."
Smith enters next season with 22,168 passing yards, 124 passing touchdowns and 89 career interceptions in the NFL. His starting record is 42-56-0.
The Jets have the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It will be intriguing to see if they draft a QB after trading for Smith.
"They've got a lot of young talent and a really special group of guys, in my opinion, that can really kind of take over this league," Smith said.
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