Geno Smith

Jets QB Geno Smith admits he's now auditioning for '31 other teams'

Published Jul. 29, 2016 2:20 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

After nearly six months of not knowing who would be under center come Week 1, the New York Jets have found their starting quarterback. They signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year deal this week, ending the lengthiest (and most unnecessary standoff) of the year.

The presumed starter before the re-signing of Fitzpatrick was of course Geno Smith. He'll now be moved to his all-familiar backup role, which obviously won't sit well with him. On Thursday, Smith said he was "pissed off" about Fitzpatrick being brought back, but he's moving forward with a more positive attitude now.

Instead, he's auditioning for next season.

"It's no disrespect to anyone, but I'm auditioning for this team and 31 other teams in the NFL," Smith said, via ESPN. "The way you handle all of this says a lot about your character. I've got little kids back home seeing how I react. Everyone will watch to see how I react. I'm not going to allow this situation -- because it's not the worst situation I've been in -- to deter me from my ultimate goal."

All things considered, Smith has handled the past two years fairly well. From being punched in the jaw by IK Enemkpali to being supplanted by Fitzpatrick two straight offseasons, Smith hasn't wavered at the idea of remaining with the Jets.

He didn't request to be traded or released, and Smith remained focused on winning the starting job when camp opened. Even if he outplays Fitzpatrick in practice and the preseason, he'll remain the backup, but it could help his situation in 2017.

"There are a lot of things I have to put on tape for a lot of people," he said.

The way he's handled this messy situation has been applaudable and shows that he's seemingly matured from when he first came into the league. There's no doubting his competitiveness at this point in his career.

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Geno Smith

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