Geno Smith admitted that it stung seeing the Seattle Seahawks fire Pete Carroll.
Following consecutive 9-8 seasons with Smith under center, the Seahawks dismissed Carroll after 14 seasons as their head coach. They hired former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as his replacement.
Speaking to reporters last week, Smith discussed how it felt when the organization fired Carroll.
“That day is a day I’ll probably remember forever, just because of how things happened for me here,” Smith said, via NFL.com. “Obviously, Coach Carroll is a big influence on my career. Helped me out a bunch when I came to this organization. Really helped me, thrust me into the spotlight that I’m in now.
“For me, it was kind of a terrible moment to see someone that I love so much, having to part ways with him. But that’s the way of the NFL. That’s the way things go. Very excited for what we have here now and just the direction we’re heading in.”
Smith spent years bouncing around the NFL in backup roles before joining Seattle in 2020. Carroll gave the former second-round pick his first true starting opportunity in years after the team traded Russell Wilson.
Smith responded by tallying 4,282 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in 2022. He showed his success wasn’t entirely a fluke when posting a 92.1 quarterback rating last season.
The 33-year-old returns to lead a new offensive scheme in 2024. Smith said he’s had “great communication” with Macdonald this offseason.
“From what I’ve seen so far, he’s got a vision,” Smith said. “He’s got a plan. He already laid it out for us as a team, and it’s our job to help him and his job to help us get there.”