NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets looks on prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on December 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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The New York Jets have high expectations for quarterback Geno Smith, who they acquired via trade with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in March.
At the NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made a huge statement about what Smith can do for the franchise.
Aaron Glenn Has High Praise For Jets QB Geno Smith
“I just feel like he’s the guy that’s going to lead us to the promised land,” Glenn said, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Banking on Smith leading the Jets to their first Super Bowl victory since Joe Namath did so during the 1968 season seems improbable, especially when factoring in his recent output. Smith had a subpar 2025 season where he threw for 19 touchdowns and led the league in interceptions with 17 despite playing in just 15 games. Smith’s Total QBR of 34.1 ranked No. 27 in the NFL.
The hope is that Smith can return to the form that resurrected his career with the Seattle Seahawks where he threw for 76 touchdowns and 36 interceptions over five years with a 68.5% completion rate. However, the odds are against Smith from finding that magic once more at 35 years old. Even so, Glenn is confident Smith will deliver in New York, saying “He understands exactly what happened last year.”
“He’s at fault from some of those but there’s some things that he knows he’s going to get better at and I look forward to him doing that,” Glenn said.
Glenn said that he envisions the Jets’ offense running the ball effectively and set up play-action shots for Smith and the passing offense, calling him “perfect” for New York’s scheme.
“There’s something about a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder. He’s proven a lot in this league, especially when you take the time when he was in Seattle. He fits exactly what we’re trying to do,” Glenn said.
The Jets are coming off a 3-14 season and how Smith fares could greatly influence whether Glenn is retained as head coach for a third season in 2027. While Glenn is mentioning Smith leading the Jets to the “promised land,” Jets fans would settle for a playoff berth. The last time New York made the playoffs was back in 2010, which is the longest current drought in the NFL.
While Smith wasn’t the sole reason the Raiders had an abysmal 3-14 season, he contributed to the lackluster campaign. Until Smith starts winning games with the Jets, Glenn’s comments about his new QB1 seem to be latching to hope and not evidence.