Geno Smith is Josh McCown: Familiar NY Jets script, different cast

The man, the myth, and the legend with the banged-up jaw — Geno Smith has returned to the New York Jets.

Geno returns to a team that won just three games last season — their lowest total since 2020 — but nobody is expecting him to turn this around and end the longest playoff drought in North American sports.

The signing is bittersweet as there is always something romantic about a former Jet coming home, yet it is hard to ignore that Geno brings a short ceiling in terms of potential. He carries a complicated history with this franchise, most notably the 2014 locker room incident that derailed his first stint here.

Plus, the Jets’ 2026 prospects aren’t exactly stellar. Some would argue they’re firmly targeting 2027. Few are willing to admit that aloud, but a three-win team signing a 35-year-old Geno Smith on a one-year deal tells you everything you need to know about where this franchise is headed.

Taking time to reflect on the signing immediately reminded me of the Josh McCown signing in 2017. Josh was brought in to bridge the gap and help tank the team for the highly praised 2018 NFL draft class, which included Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and future MVPs Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

There was never an expectation that Josh would make the playoffs, with a season win total over-under set at just 3.5 to 5.5 wins, depending on the sportsbook. Josh, like Geno, was a bridge quarterback.

So, what can McCown’s 2017 season actually teach us about what lies ahead, and what can fans realistically expect from Geno this season?

The original (2017)

Act I: The Hope

Early in Josh McCown’s 2017 campaign, after starting 0–2, the Jets flashed competent football in Week 3. This win is a great example of why teams invest in veteran quarterbacks even with a low ceiling. The main reason is simple: they can beat bad teams and keep their jobs.

Against the Miami Dolphins, McCown completed 18 of 23 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown with zero interceptions, finishing with a 126.3 passer rating. He didn’t have to do much with the ball. He found a wide-open Robby Anderson on a long bomb for the game’s first score, kept the offense efficient, and let the defense manage the rest.

It also helped that Miami was starting Jay Cutler, giving New York the turnover edge. That is what a good veteran does: He manages the game, protects the ball, and wins the winnable ones.

If Geno can do that this season, Jets fans will take it.

Act II: The Peak

The season peaked in Week 12 against Kansas City. After a dominant win against the Kansas City Chiefs, including 331 yards, 72.2% completion rate, two rushing touchdowns, and a 109.8 passer rating, the Jets sat at 5–7. That was already more wins than most people predicted for the entire season.

The vibes were high.

Even if the playoffs seemed unlikely, the team was improving, with young players like Robby Anderson making big plays and newly acquired veterans such as Jermaine Kearse turning in a 157-yard game.

McCown looked every bit like a quarterback who had found something late in his career, a veteran who had finally landed in the right system at the right time. The current Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach was never seen as the franchise guy, but he kept that locker room together, mentored younger players, and gave the Jets an identity when they had none — all of which matters to a football team.

Act III: The Fall

The fall came fast.

The following week, during a rough Week 14 loss to Denver, Josh McCown broke his hand and was done for the year. He finished with 2,926 yards, 18 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions in 13 starts — numbers that look even better when you remember who was throwing and catching the ball.

After his injury, Bryce Petty stepped in and played three atrocious games, which completely killed any remaining momentum from the season.

The sequel (2026)

Same script, different cast

Looking toward 2026, something similar will probably happen with Geno: He will get hurt, or the Jets will make a move, and we will see either Bailey Zappe or a rookie drafted this year step under center. How that transition goes could define the entire season.

It’s worth recalling that the Petty stretch also made it easier to move on from head coach Todd Bowles the following offseason. This is a reminder that how a season ends often matters more than how it starts.

Head coach Aaron Glenn is walking the same tightrope this year. The lessons from 2017 are clear: the veteran buys you time, but the moment he goes down, the plan is exposed for what it really is.

One area where Geno has a clear edge over McCown is the talent around him. Garrett Wilson is a legitimate No. 1 receiver in a way that Robby Anderson could never imagine. Breece Hall is a quicker and stronger option out of the backfield than the aging Matt Forte and Bilal Powell, who McCown had.

The Jets have also expressed interest in drafting a receiver in the 2026 NFL draft, which could give Geno a genuine weapon to develop a connection with throughout the season. The ceiling is not high, but the floor is better than it was eight years ago.

True intentions

Let’s be honest about what is really going on here: Just as McCown was brought in to bridge to the 2018 quarterback class, Geno is now serving the same role for the 2027 class.

This draft is already generating enormous hype, headlined by names like Arch Manning (Texas), Dante Moore (Oregon), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), and Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech).

The Jets know this. The front office knows this. And frankly, the fans know this too.

A successful 2026 season probably does not look like a playoff run; it looks like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall both clearing 1,000 yards, Mason Taylor and Adonai Mitchell taking steps forward, and the Jets drafting young players who can make a difference on both sides of the ball.

Growth matters more than wins this year. Keep that in mind when you are screaming at your television in November.

Geno Smith is Josh McCown. The year changes, the draft class changes, but the story stays the same. Enjoy the good weeks, brace for the bad, and don’t get attached.

New York Jets fans know exactly how this movie ends.