Aug 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) after the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Why Geno Smith gave one Seahawks fan the finger before preseason game

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 1:30 PM ET

All things considered, former head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith got a warm welcome from Seattle Seahawks fans on Thursday night when the Las Vegas Raiders came to town. Although Carroll was loathe to get emotional about his return to Lumen Field, he did forget which team he was coaching "a couple times" during the game.

As for Smith, he was appreciative of the largely positive reception he got from the Seahawks fans in attendance. There was at least one notable exception, though. According to Tashan Reed at the Athletic one fan brought a sign comparing Smith to all-time Raiders bust JaMarcus Russell, which bought on a pair of birds from Seattle's former starting QB.

Why Geno Smith flipped off Seahawks fan

"...a fan appeared to make a gesture and say something toward Smith, who played five seasons in Seattle, as the Raiders waited outside their tunnel to take the field. Smith responded by holding up both of his middle fingers toward the fan before running onto the field. Crosby also made the same gesture while running onto the field. The fan was holding a sign that read “Bigger Bust — Geno Or Jamarcus Russell?”

Needless to say, comparing Geno Smith to JaMarcus Russell (who only started 25 career games) is idiotic, but the point was to get under Smith's skin and it sounds like it worked.

While Pete Carroll did technically start Geno it was a very short outing. He went 1/3 for 15 yards and spent the rest of the game on the sidelines.

As for the regular season, even though the version of Sam Darnold that we saw last year was an upgrade over Smith, Seattle fans shouldn't be surprised if Geno does better with the Raiders than he did with the Seahawks. For one thing, Smith will have a better offensive line - but more importantly he'll be playing at least half of his games indoors, where he's historically thrived.

The Seahawks should get to face Carroll and Smith again in a real game next year. They are scheduled to visit Vegas at some point during the 2026 season.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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