Moments Ago: Watch Raiders Pete Carroll Speak at OTAs

New Raiders QB Geno Smith spoke earlier this offseason after signing with the storied franchise. Below is a partial transcript of what he said.

Quarterback Geno Smith

Smith: "Good morning, everyone, obviously today is a really exciting day for me and my family, but also it's an exciting day for the Raiders organization. Got two really good guys to my right and my left who helped me become a part of this, and we're really excited to get here and get to work. I’m really excited to get to know all my teammates, get to know all the fans, really immerse myself into Las Vegas and be a part of this thing. I've always revered the Raiders from afar, the Silver and Black, all the nostalgia, when you think about just the NFL, the Raiders is a big part of that. And we're here to win. We're here to do this thing the right way. I want to lead the right way. I want to be a big part of the culture here and just do the right things and really just leave my mark on my teammates, on the team, and the organization."

Q: Life can move pretty fast in the NFL, one day you're a Seattle Seahawk and the next thing you know, the Raiders are interested in trading for you. Pete Carroll being your former coach, how quickly did all the boxes get checked off for you?
Smith: " Yeah, initially when I thought this was a possibility, Coach [Pete] Carroll alone drew interest here. And getting to know all the inner workings, getting to meet John [Spytek], getting to talk to Tom Brady, and really just understand what this thing is about and the direction they're going. I saw myself aligning with that. And I think today is the start of that."
Q: You haven't played for Chip Kelly before, but he recruited you coming out of college, and he also coached your cousin last year. How well do you know his system? And what are your thoughts about his system?
Smith: "Yeah, I've known his system from afar. He recruited me in college when he was at Oregon, and I really gave it some thought. I thought about going there. I really liked Chip [Kelly] then, just kind of followed him throughout. I saw when he went to the Eagles, I actually had an interview with them when I was coming out for the draft, so I got to meet him again there. And then, yeah, last year he was coaching Jeremiah [Smith], so I just watched their team. I watched the way that he handled the injuries that they had. I watched the way that he managed having two really good running backs and those guys equally had 1,000 yards. They had a bunch of really good receivers who they spread the ball out to. There's a lot of things to like about this system. Obviously, I've got to dive into it and really just learn the ins and outs of it and how he wants things to be run. But just watching it like a fan from afar, I was really impressed."
Q: Based on how things ended in Seattle, how much of a desire was there to kind of continue this relationship? And do you believe that there was some unfinished business that you're really looking forward to continuing with Pete Carroll with this decision?
Smith: "Yes sir, that's a great way to put it. I think there is unfinished business. And I think, when people think about my story, coach Carroll was a big part of that. He gave me an opportunity when not many people would have, and he saw the hard work that I was putting in. He saw the things behind the scenes that I do that allowed me to get this opportunity. But to be able to play for him, and again, to be a part of this organization, it means everything to myself and my family. I was just telling him I'll run through a wall for him, and he knows that. And I'll do the same for my teammates and for this organization. And so, I just want that to be kind of who I am, and I want that to be the statement of who I am as the quarterback of this team."

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