Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has come a long way in his 10-year career to finally earn his first nod onto a Pro Bowl roster. Smith is among four Seattle players who were named to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games.
Smith was originally selected by the Jets in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft out of West Virginia. He was inconsistent throughout his first two seasons as a starter before serving in a backup role his last two years in New York. He next spent time as a backup with the Giants and the Chargers before signing with Seattle in 2019.
After backing up quarterback Russell Wilson for three seasons, Smith earned his chance to start for Seattle in 2022 and has never looked back. He now heads the league in completion percentage with a whopping 71.4. In addition, Smith has the second-best passer rating (105.3), ranks fourth in passing touchdowns (26), sixth in completions (337), seventh in yards (3,671) and is tied for ninth place in attempts (472).
All that from a guy who many considered a career backup at best.
“Honestly, my focus is on this week and this game,” Smith told reporters Wednesday before hearing of his honor. “Obviously, those things are personal accolades, but I’m focused on the team part of it. It’s really important for us to go out there and get a win. It’s a crucial part of our season. We got three games left to figure out what we are going to do here.
“I’ve just been focused on that and locked in on that.”
Congrats to Smith and the rest of the Seahawks who will be representing Seattle and the NFC in the 2023 Pro Bowl Games.