Raiders’ offensive coordinator Chip Kelly thrilled about QB situation: “Geno is literally like a second coach”
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly called Smith a “blessing” for coaches.
We’re only days into OTAs ahead of the 2025 season, but already the compliments are flying in for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, who is drawing high praise from those around him.
Smith joined the Raiders in a March trade with the Seahawks, brought in to deliver the quarterback stability Las Vegas has been chasing since Derek Carr’s departure in 2022.
Trading a third-round pick and handing over a two-year, $75 million extension is what I’d label a bit of a gamble in the cut-throat world of NFL, but the early signs are positive.
Geno Smith breaks down one of the best throws of his career pic.twitter.com/7tbTXHHkWD
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) May 22, 2025
‘Geno is literally like a second coach’
Such delight at the deal is particularly present in the comments from Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who quite literally labelled Smith’s arrival a “blessing” for the team.
“He’s great. Geno is literally like a second coach,” said Kelly, who carried on: “When you’re in that room with him and [quarterbacks coach] Greg Olson, there [are] a lot of ideas going around. His football acumen is really off the charts, and it’s impressive to be around him.”
But it’s not just his mental attributes that have drawn praise, with Kelly going on to add that “I think he runs better than people give him credit for. I think he can beat you with his feet [and] keep plays alive.”
Smith was selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2013 draft, and spent four seasons there before serving as a backup quarterback for the Giants and Chargers.
The Florida native then moved on to sign with the Seahawks in 2019 and two years on, he finally made the step up into the starting position in 2022 following Russell Wilson’s trade to the Denver Broncos. During his time in Seattle, Smith completed 68.5% of his passes, racking up 12,961 yards, 76 touchdowns, and 36 interceptions over 54 games, including 52 starts.
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“There’s not a lot of guys that have shown that resiliency,” Kelly said. “He can be so relatable to everybody, because he’s kind of lived that life. He’s been a high draft pick, [but] he’s also been a guy that has been told that a team doesn’t want him. The fact that he’s done it and come out to be the way he is now is a testament to him. He’s special.”
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