Geno Smith has become a fan favorite ever since his career was rejuvenated with the Seahawks and NFL Films caught a heartwarming moment that perfectly showed why.
During his team’s game against the Panthers on Sunday, Smith could be seen walking over toward rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the sideline and giving him a pep talk while he was sitting on the bench. At one point, Smith threw an interception on a pass that was intended for Smith-Njigba in the second quarter, but it’s unclear if this conversation happened before or after the play.
“Hey, I need you,” Smith said to Smith-Njigba. “I need you in the second half. I need you locked in. Whatever happened, it’s on me. It ain’t never on you. You gotta get the ball so I gotta find you, alright? I need you to give me your best in the second half, alright?”
Geno Smith is the ultimate leader & hype man 👏 (via @NFLFilms)#InsideTheNFL Tuesdays at 8/7c on @TheCW pic.twitter.com/lYVY7bPBg5
— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2023
The young wideout could be heard responding, “I got you.” It was a wholesome moment between teammates but unfortunately it didn’t materialize into much for Smith-Njigba. He finished the game with one catch for 10 yards on three targets but Seattle was able to pull out the 37–27 win over Carolina.
It’s a long season, though, and having a quarterback that believes in you that much can go a long way.
