“He Wants That #1 Pick in 2027” – Jets HC Aaron Glenn Announces Geno Smith as the Starting Quarterback for Next Season, Fans React

Aaron Glenn has unwavering faith on Geno Smith to lead the Jets in 2026.

“He Wants That #1 Pick in 2027” – Jets HC Aaron Glenn Announces Geno Smith as the Starting Quarterback for Next Season, Fans React

Geno Smith and Aaron Glenn inside the circle (Image via IMAGO/NFL Network)

In Short
  • Geno Smith has been named the starting quarterback for the New York Jets by head coach Aaron Glenn.
  • Smith returns to the Jets after a challenging stint with the Raiders, where he struggled behind a weak offensive line.
  • Fans express skepticism about Smith's ability to succeed, citing concerns over the team's offensive line and past performance.

Following the disappointing spell with the Las Vegas Raiders, Geno Smith returned to the first-ever NFL club that gave him a chance to be the starter. Smith spent the initial four years of his career with the New York Jets before bouncing around several teams.

He had stints with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers before Seattle came calling. With Russell Wilson as the QB1, the former second-round draft pick waited for his opportunity to arrive. It came when Wilson moved to Denver.

Pete Carroll helped Smith realize his true potential. In 2022, Smith broke into the MVP conversation with a strong start. The Seahawks finished with a 9-8 record, earning playoff qualification. Smith led the league in pass completion percentage (69.8%) while throwing 30 touchdowns and just 11 picks.

Although Smith improved the entire team, he was in Seattle, and the Seahawks failed to make it out of the loaded NFC West. After Carroll left, the organization opted to adopt a different approach that did not include Smith. Before the 2025 season, the Seahawks traded Smith to the Raiders, reuniting him with Carroll.

It wasn’t a pleasant reunion. The Raiders fired Carroll and released Smith for winning just three games all year. Now back at the Jets, Smith stands a great chance of starting immediately. Head coach Aaron Glenn has unwavering confidence in the two-time Pro Bowl signal caller.

There’s no doubt in my mind that we brought a competent starter here on this team. I look forward to him getting in the building.

Aaron Glenn told Judy Battista of NFL Network

Fans on social media call out Aaron Glenn for picking Geno Smith as the starting quarterback for the Jets

Smith played 15 games for the Raiders in two spells in 2025. He roped in two of the three Raider wins, finishing with 302 completions (67.4%) for 3025 yards, threw 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions (four fewer than his rookie season when he threw 21). To be fair, he played behind the league’s 18th-ranked offensive line, which was only a slight improvement over the preseason projection of 19.

"He Wants That #1 Pick in 2027" - Jets HC Aaron Glenn Announces Geno Smith as the Starting Quarterback for Next Season, Fans React
Geno Smith (Image via IMAGO)

The Jets don’t exactly boast a strong offensive line either. Despite being projected as the 13th best in the league, the line led by Olu Fashanu, John Simpson, Josh Meyers, Joe Tippmann, and Armand Membou ended up finishing in 21st place.

Justin Fields, regarded as one of the league’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, struggled to find his rhythm behind this O-line. Fields won just 2 games in 9 starts before Glenn benched him for Tyrod Taylor and later traded him to the Chiefs. Even though there’s bound to be some changes in the new season, placing Smith behind such a leaky line does not generate excitement among fans.

Smith has the experience to handle adversity. However, it’s shaping up to be another challenging year. Facing the 12th toughest schedule, the Jets are projected to win around 5.5 games.

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