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Renton – In a game that will determine the success or failure of the present and shape the future, Seahawks quarterback Genno Smith and coach Pete Carroll must kill a little bit of their respective pasts.
“Someone you know from the old days is coming over,” Carroll said as the New York Jets visited Lumen Field this Sunday.
New York was where Smith’s NFL career began after being drafted 39th overall by the Jets in 2013. His two-year stint as a starter ended in controversy, leading him to a seven-season stint as a backup before being reinstated. his career this season with the Seahawks.
And New York was where Carroll got his first job as a head coach at any level in 1994, when he was named to succeed Bruce Coslett.
After a 6-10 season in which the Jets lost their last five games, Carroll was surprisingly sacked. A decision that left the then 43-year-old Carroll stunned and faced with an uncertain future for himself.
Referring to Smith this week, Carroll said, “Really, we’re kind of partners in crime. We’ve both been there.” To do.”
Their respective successes elsewhere, like Carroll famously winning a Super Bowl title with the Seahawks on the same MetLife turf where he coached the Jets, may help ease the bitterness. And obviously in Carol’s case, as he said this week, “It was a long time ago, so it’s not a factor.”
For Smith, the experience is more refreshing. He was an immediate starter in 2013 as a rookie and remained active until 2014.
Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in to compete with Smith the following year, as Todd Bowles took over as Rex Ryan’s coach. However, the competition never went anywhere as Smith broke his jaw when teammate IK Enemkpalli punched Smith in the locker room over what was reportedly a dispute over $600. “
By the time Smith was healthy in late September, Fitzpatrick had started to roll, and Bowles decided to keep him as the starter for what would be the Jets’ last winning season, going 10-6.
Smith started just five games over the next seven years before getting his first job in Seattle this year.
But at Thursday’s weekly press conference, Smith preferred to focus on the good things about his Jets experience and what happened afterward.
“I really appreciate my time there,” he said. “It helped me grow as a man and it was a good time for me. It was a good time to learn and grow in the league.
’ …Obviously, it was a freak accident. Things happen and you don’t want it on anyone. But being able to learn and practice resilience and perseverance was a great moment for me. After all that happened, it took a lot of patience and effort to get the chance to compete again as a starter. I am grateful for everything I went through and, obviously, I was able to turn it around and make it positive. “
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The biggest lesson, he said, may have been learning how to deal with what happens in an unpredictable league. Adapting quickly to his new role as a backup allowed Smith to hang around long enough to finally get out on the other side.
“It’s been my career for a while. Being a great teammate, trying to help everyone get better, and doing whatever it takes for the team to win outside of playing,” Smith said. . “Just in that time frame, when I was going through it, I had time to really reflect. It was probably the first time I haven’t played or started since I was about 10. I haven’t played football for a long time.” It’s been a long time since I’ve been there, and I’ve started many seasons and then it’s been booming.The difference has been challenging, but it’s taught me a lot and helped me grow.”
So did Carroll after being fired in New York.
Owner Leon Hess was disheartened after a five-game losing streak and wanted to hire longtime Jets assistant Rich Cotite, who had just been fired by the Eagles. The move didn’t pan out as the Jets went 4-28 in two years for Cotite.
After being fired by the Jets, Carroll spent two years as defensive coordinator with the 49ers leading to a career resurgence, and coached the Patriots for three years. That too ended in a shot. But he was able to learn many valuable lessons at least over his three-year tenure. This means that if you take another head coach job, do things your way and basically have the final say on personnel changes. He took him to USC in 2001, where his head coaching career finally began to take off.
“It was a great experience,” Carroll said of his time with the Jets. “It’s really great to coach in New York. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to drive back from the old Meadowlands to Long Island and drive past all those people. All the lights were on in the skyscrapers watching the Giants and Jets play football and knowing they were happy or angry, it really represented something unique. I have never forgotten it and I really appreciate it. It was a lot of fun.”
But for each, the Jets now represent an opportunity to make the most of a season that began with such promise.
Regardless of what happens, Smith, who could become a free agent at the end of the year, has secured another shot as a starter, possibly in Seattle, but definitely somewhere else.
And for Carroll, a 6-3 start seemed to indicate that at age 71 he still had a lot of coaching to do. will definitely be stamped as one of our coaching jobs.
“For me and this team, it’s always been,” Smith said. “We have to prepare for another week and it will be difficult to challenge for this victory. We need it.”
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