Thursday’s preseason game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks marked an early homecoming for Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. But Smith’s return wasn’t quite as welcoming, after the veteran was caught flipping off a Seahawks fan holding a sign while he was coming out of the tunnel.
In a news conference Sunday, Carroll was asked early on about the gesture. Carroll quickly jumped to the defense of his quarterback.
“Did you see what the sign said?” Carroll asked. When the reporter confirmed that they had, Carroll kept things moving: “Next question.”
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The fan’s provocative sign read, “Bigger Bust — Geno or JaMarcus Russell?” That prompted the reaction from Smith.
Russell, a former No. 1 overall draft pick with a troubled NFL career, lasted only three seasons with the Raiders as quarterback before being released. (He recently made headlines last summer, after being removed as a volunteer coach and sued by his high school.)
On Thursday, Carroll was seen trying to take down the sign from the fan after the interaction, seemingly understanding the effect it had on Smith.
Smith, who was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft out of West Virginia, was on his way to becoming a career backup before finding his resurgence with the Seahawks. With Russell Wilson sent to the Denver Broncos, Smith won Seattle’s starting job in 2022, eventually earning his first Pro Bowl nod and the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year.
Carroll, who had coached the Seahawks since 2010, was a mentor for Smith during that time, before he and the team parted ways at the end of the 2023 season. When Carroll took the Raiders’ coaching job, it was only fitting to have Smith join him. The veteran QB was traded to Las Vegas in March. Smith eventually signed a two-year extension to keep him out of free agency next offseason.
Thursday’s preseason game ended with a 23-23 tie between Carroll’s old team and his new one. In a game that primarily featured Aidan O’Connell at QB for Las Vegas, Smith played limited snaps, but went 1-for-3 for 15 yards in the draw.
