Pete Carroll Has Seven Word Response to Geno Smith Controversy

It didn’t take long for Geno Smith to have his first viral moment as a Las Vegas Raider. Right before the first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, a fan was holding a sign that read, “Bigger bust — Geno or JaMarcus Russell?”

Smith didn’t take kindly to the sign and decided to flash his middle fingers at the fan. Obviously, the NFL and Raiders don’t want players flashing obscene gestures at fans.

Smith will likely face a fine from the NFL. However, it doesn’t sound like head coach Pete Carroll is upset with his quarterback. He was asked about the situation and had a simple response.

“Did you see what the sign said?” Carroll asked a reporter before moving on.

Carroll clearly thinks that Smith was justified in being upset about the sign, especially since he just spent the last several years playing for the Seahawks. Smith was actually met with warm welcomes for the most part, outside of that sign.

Raiders fans certainly won’t have a problem with their quarterback having a bit of an edge. That said, he may want to avoid doing that again in the future unless he wants to keep accruing fines.

Raiders Got Smith’s Back

For better or worse, it’s clear that the Raiders have Smith’s back. Carroll isn’t throwing him under the bus, and star defensive end Maxx Crosby joined the quarterback in flipping off the fan.

Smith is quickly becoming a beloved figure in the building and has the players’ respect. He should be voted a team captain before the start of the season.

Raiders Backup QB Competition Gets Interesting

Smith has the starting quarterback job locked down for the 2025 season, but there is an interesting competition brewing behind him. Aidan O’Connell seemed like a lock to be Smith’s backup this season, but he played very poorly against the Seahawks, throwing two ugly interceptions.

O’Connell wasn’t happy with himself over the performance.

“It’s frustrating because I’ve had a good camp so far,” O’Connell said Thursday. “I’m disappointed in how I played. Obviously, I can’t turn the ball over and I have to stay ahead of the sticks to help the team.”

While O’Connell struggled, rookie quarterback Cam Miller stepped up. He completed 6-of-7 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. It’s obviously just one game, but Miller was the better of the two quarterbacks.

“Everything felt a lot better than what I expected,” Miller said after the game.

Miller is coming from a smaller school at North Dakota State, so the jump to the NFL is a big one. He looked good in his first preseason action, but he still has a lot more to prove before he can unseat a guy like O’Connell, who is in his third year.

“I had never used silent in college,” he said. “That was the first time we didn’t use clap when it got loud. But I don’t think that would have worked in Seattle. So getting to understand some of these silent cadences has been awesome for my knowledge and understanding of the game of football.”