After successful years with the Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll and Geno Smith are now working together again with the Las Vegas Raiders. Neither makes any secret of their appreciation for each other.

Geno Smith and Pete Carroll spent five years together with the Seattle Seahawks. In May 2019, the quarterback signed with the team from the Pacific Northwest, initially as a backup for Russell Wilson and with no realistic prospects of becoming a starter anywhere in the NFL again.

During their time together in Seattle, however, a close relationship of trust developed between Smith and his head coach. This is why Carroll decided to make the former substitute the successor to the long-standing franchise leader in 2022, after Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos.

A decision that meant a rebirth of his career for Smith. In his two years as a starter under Carroll, he was twice selected for the Pro Bowl and received the biggest contract of his career to date.

While Carroll left the Seahawks after the 2023 season, Smith stayed in Seattle for one more year. But now they are reunited. After taking office as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, Carroll made a trade for Smith after the Seahawks agreed to release him.

Both are already extremely motivated and excited to work together again. And despite the Raiders’ recent poor seasons, both are approaching the task with ambition.

“I think there is still something left to accomplish,” Smith said in a media roundtable. “When people reflect on my story, Coach Carroll was a big part of it. He gave me an opportunity that not many people would have gotten,” he looked back.

Pete Carroll praises “winner” Geno Smith

Carroll praised the ambition and self-confidence that Smith showed in Seattle by always believing in his chance to be a starter. “I mean, he didn’t just play behind Russell for weeks, but for years, but he never gave up on the idea. I found that extremely impressive,” said the 73-year-old.

That’s one of the reasons why he decided to give Smith his chance back then. “As soon as we had the opportunity to put him in a position where he could take the lead, I couldn’t wait. And he’s been a winner ever since,” Carroll noted.

The fact that no piece of paper fits between the two and that a real “bromance” has developed between the two was also evident in the further course of the media round. Smith made it clear that he would “run through a brick wall” for Carroll. His coach replied: “I’d rather take the wall before you got it.”

Even before Smith had thrown a single pass, the Raiders gave him a lucrative contract extension. The 34-year-old signed for two years and $75 million, with a maximum of $85.5 million. A total of $66.5 million is guaranteed.

Geno Smith: “I’m one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL”

Now he wants to show that he is worth the money. Smith is not lacking in self-confidence. “I’m not conceited or arrogant, but I just feel that I’m one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL,” he said. “I want to go out there and prove it.”

In doing so, he can rely not only on his head coach, but also on the “GOAT” himself. Tom Brady is a minority owner of the Raiders, and Smith has already been able to exchange ideas with the seven-time Super Bowl winner.

“I went to his house and had the opportunity to talk to him about football and life for an hour,” Smith explained. He wants to learn as much as he can from ‘the greatest quarterback who ever played’: ‘The most important thing is that I’m here to win, and I’m here to do the right thing for my teammates, just like he did.’