The New York Jets made one of the more surprising moves this past offseason, bringing back the very man who left the franchise nearly a decade ago: Geno Smith.

A second-round pick (No. 39 overall) in 2013, Smith was the Jets' starting quarterback for his first two seasons before injuries pushed him into a backup role for his final two years, eventually leading him to seek opportunities elsewhere. Now he's back in New York after revitalizing his career with the Seahawks, expected to provide steady quarterback play in 2026 and perhaps redeem himself after how his first stint ended.

After missing the Jets' preseason opener with a sore ankle, Smith made his long-awaited return in a Jets uniform Friday night in Pittsburgh and looked like the best quarterback on either sideline. He played only the opening drive, but went a clean 7 of 7 for 65 yards and capped it off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jelani Woods. Rookie Cade Klubnik took over from there, but Smith had already done enough in that opening series to earn a glowing review from head coach Aaron Glenn.

"Very, very efficient, he looked very comfortable," Glenn said. "Exactly what we were looking for."

Smith himself spoke about embracing the process and staying even-keeled.

"I think we can always get better," Smith said. "There's always room for improvement, but we're always going to strive for perfection. I don't really get too high or too low on anything. I think it's about the process, and I'm really focused on the process."

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Smith is coming off a down year in Las Vegas, but the year before that, in Seattle, he looked like one of the best pocket passers in the NFL, completing 70.4% of his passes for 4,320 yards (fourth-most in the league) and 21 touchdowns. Two years before that, he won NFL Comeback Player of the Year and led the league with a 69.8% completion rate, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Fans in New York are hoping to see that version of Smith return this season.

The Jets open the regular season Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Titans in Tennessee — their first real chance to see whether he can carry this strong preseason play into the regular season.

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