Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith finally got what he deserved on Thursday when he officially signed his new three-year deal keeping him in Seattle.
“I wanted to stay here,” Smith said as he sat smiling between coach Pete Carroll and John Schneider at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. “I was hoping we could get something done quickly. I didn’t want to have to test the free agent market. Obviously, if I had to then I had to, but I think everyone did a great job at making this work, and now it’s about having it pay off in the future.”
Smith did everything in his power to get to where he is now – back in a starting position. He trusted himself and the organization to do the right thing, rewarding him with a new deal that recognized how far he’s come.
“I had no doubts, honestly,” Smith said. “I mean, I just kept working, man. And I would always tell myself, ‘Hey, man, if I never got the opportunity, at least I worked for it. At least I put everything I had, and I can leave this game with no regrets.’ I think God kind of shined down on me. He saw me working and gave me (the) opportunity.”
Now it’s Smith’s turn to return the favor.
“Hopefully it’s an inspiration to everyone just to continue to believe in yourself, to work hard, to never waver in your confidence, and then to be opportunistic,” he said. “When you get an opportunity, you’ve got to run with it.
“So hopefully everyone can see that when they see me.”
