Geno Smith prepares to make first Jets start since 2016
2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 9, 2026, 4:52 PM
Last updated Sep 9, 2026
Geno Smith returns to the starting lineup for the Jets this Sunday in a home game against the Titans. The quarterback, who turns 36 next month, last started for the franchise on Oct. 23, 2016. Smith joined the Jets earlier this year via a trade from the Raiders after stints with the Giants, Chargers, and Seahawks. He described the opportunity to lead the organization again as an honor during a video appearance with the team on Tuesday. The veteran signal-caller emphasized that his primary focus remains on winning games, noting that the objective has not changed since his initial tenure in New York. The Jets have struggled with team performance for several years, having failed to reach the playoffs since 2010 or secure a winning season since 2015.
- •Geno Smith will start at quarterback for the Jets against the Titans on Sunday.
- •His last start for the Jets occurred on Oct. 23, 2016.
- •Smith joined the team this offseason following a trade from the Raiders.
- •The Jets have not achieved a winning record since 2015.
- 4:52 PMYahoo Sports — Geno Smith is a symbol of redemption in his improbable Jets return. He says being back is an 'honor'
- 7:49 PMYahoo Sports — Geno Smith calls it an "honor" to make his first start for Jets since 2016
"Geno Smith will step on the field for the New York Jets in Tennessee on Sunday as an unexpected symbol. It's a far cry from how things ended in his disappointing first stint with the Jets, who once viewed him as a possible long-term quarterback and face of the franchise — until failed expectations, costly mistakes and a punch to the jaw derailed all that. The opener against the Titans will mark Smith's first regular-season start for the Jets since Oct. 23, 2016.
"When he was in Seattle, Geno Smith once famously said after a victory, "They wrote me off; I ain't write back, though."
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 9, 2026, 4:52 PMGeno Smith is a symbol of redemption in his improbable Jets return. He says being back is an 'honor'
Geno Smith will step on the field for the New York Jets in Tennessee on Sunday as an unexpected symbol. It's a far cry from how things ended in his disappointing first stint with the Jets, who once viewed him as a possible long-term quarterback and face of the franchise — until failed expectations, costly mistakes and a punch to the jaw derailed all that. The opener against the Titans will mark Smith's first regular-season start for the Jets since Oct. 23, 2016.
- Yahoo SportsSep 8, 2026, 7:49 PMGeno Smith calls it an "honor" to make his first start for Jets since 2016
When he was in Seattle, Geno Smith once famously said after a victory, "They wrote me off; I ain't write back, though."
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