Rex Ryan and Geno Smith spent two years with each other on the New York Jets, but it doesn’t really seem like they get along.
The years 2013-14 were a pretty dark pair of seasons for the New York Jets. Combining for a record of 12-20, the organization was going in the opposite direction from their 2009 and 2010 campaigns in which they reached the AFC Championship.
Regarding the lingering struggles, many pointed fingers at Rex Ryan, the team’s outspoken and struggling head coach, and Geno Smith, the young quarterback who couldn’t seem to accustom to the speed of the NFL. The former was gone after 2014 while the latter was off the team after 2016.
And years later, neither are looking back and laughing at how things turned out, nor are putting the past in, well, the past. Instead, Ryan and Smith have a whole lot to say about one another, and not in a positive way.
"Give him Geno Smith … and let's see how many Super Bowls he would have won."
Rex Ryan to people who say Belichick would have been just as successful without Tom Brady. pic.twitter.com/3LsYOQblIj
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 8, 2020
“Give him Geno Smith…and let’s see how many Super Bowls he would’ve won…these two needed each other to be historic,” Ryan said on ESPN’s First Take when refuting the argument that Bill Belichick could’ve won titles without Tom Brady.
Obviously, Smith heard this and clapped back at the former head coach in a series of tweets.
My momma never liked dude he been a snake.. and y’all glorify it.. should’ve got fired after yr1.. truth is we won 8 games after ESPN had us winning two and he got his job back.. somehow I’m caught up in a feud and I’m the scapegoat.. Same guy that drafted me#TheBusiness
— Geno (@GenoSmith3) April 8, 2020
I could easily go on and on about the bs I see but truthfully I’m so happy I don’t even bother.. God put me in this position where even my enemies gotta mention my name.. so I just sit back and watch the show!
— Geno (@GenoSmith3) April 8, 2020
We not cut tha same you a silver spoon baby I got it off the pavement
— Geno (@GenoSmith3) April 8, 2020
Ryan and the Jets selected Smith in the second round (No. 39 overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of West Virginia. He was the second quarterback taken in the entire draft. The Buffalo Bills selected EJ Manuel with the No. 16 overall pick.
Whether you thought Geno was the answer or not at the quarterback position, reality eventually brought him to the bench. Smith played in 30 games (29 starts) his first two years, throwing 25 touchdowns to 34 picks with a 57.5% completion rate.
He then only played in three games with one start in his final two seasons with the Jets. The numbers simply didn’t do him any justice and neither did a 2015 locker room altercation with former Jet IK Enemkpali, in which the defensive end punched Smith over money the quarterback allegedly owed him.
The Jets waived Enemkpali afterward, and one day later, the Bills claimed him off waivers. Who was Buffalo’s head coach? That’s right, Mr. Rex Ryan.
Coincidence?
