Raiders’ Geno Smith doesn’t use his actual name for very special reason

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith had to bide his time for seven years before reclaiming a starting position in the NFL, following a rocky start with the New York Jets. After joining the Seahawks in 2019, Smith played backup to Russell Wilson for three years until he finally got his shot at starting, making a statement with his memorable ‘They wrote me off but I ain’t write back’ game against the Denver Broncos.

That marked the end of Smith being somewhat of a punchline. The now-Raiders star endured six tough years with the Jets, New York Giants, and Los Angeles Chargers before finding his footing with the Seahawks. This offseason, Tom Brady and Pete Carroll made the strategic move to trade for Smith with a third-round pick, securing him as their franchise quarterback with a two-year, $75 million extension.

The deal not only solidified his place in the NFL for the next few years but also provided him with generational wealth, proving his grandmother right. Mosetta Bratton always had faith that her grandson would achieve greatness, especially after he was named after his father. His dad was known as ‘Big Geno,’ a moniker the quarterback himself adopted — becoming ‘Little Geno.’

His actual birth name is Eugene Cyril Smith III, but no one in the NFL ever refers to him as Eugene.

Smith’s embrace of Geno as his name shows the Raiders star’s love and respect for his family. Grandma Mosetta, who passed away in 2012, in particular holds a special place in his heart after helping raise the would-be NFL quarterback.

Speaking in 2013, he said: “I think a lot of what I am now is because of her. So oftentimes, when I do something good, an accomplishment, I thank her. I thank everybody — I thank my mom, I thank my dad. Obviously, she’s passed, but she’s still close to my heart. She was so loving that you just never wanted to let her down.”

Smith has built a remarkable career in the league during his 12th season, enduring far longer than many anticipated after his disappointing stint in New York.

Following his move from the Seahawks to the Raiders and his reunion with former head coach Carroll, things haven’t gone according to plan initially.

Smith has recorded 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while the Raiders hold a 2-6 record, with mounting expectations on both him and Carroll to deliver results swiftly.

The Raiders were viewed as a possible playoff contender this season, but have faltered on offense and defense alike.

However, as Smith has demonstrated throughout his career, he possesses the resilience to rebound – evidenced by his four-touchdown performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars this past weekend.