Geno Smith Injury Update
Geno Smith is dealing with a high ankle sprain on his left leg and is currently uncertain for Week 18, with Kenny Pickett likely to step in if he cannot go. The injury came late in the Raiders’ Week 17 loss to the New York Giants, when Smith went down awkwardly and needed extra time to get up before hobbling off under his own power, which at least calmed some nerves in the moment. Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) reported on X that Geno Smith headed to the locker room on Sunday due to a knee injury.
The Raiders quickly downgraded him from questionable to out, and Pete Carroll has already hinted that bouncing back in just one week “might knock him out of next week,” which sounds like classic coach-speak for “don’t be shocked if Pickett starts against the Chiefs.” Doug Rush (@TheDougRush) reported on X that Geno Smith is questionable to return with an ankle injury in the Raiders vs. Giants matchup, having headed back to the locker room, with Kenny Pickett serving as QB2 for the Las Vegas Raiders against the New York Giants.
For fantasy players and Raiders fans, it’s that annoying gray area: not catastrophic, but just serious enough to mess with late-season hopes.
What Happened to Geno Smith?
Geno Smith first battled a shoulder and back issue in early December, then suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 17 after repeated hits and pressure finally caught up with him. Earlier in the month, he left a game against the Broncos with a right shoulder injury and was replaced in the fourth quarter by Kenny Pickett, with early tests suggesting no structural damage but plenty of pain and stiffness.
A week later, shoulder and back problems kept him out of a blowout loss to the Eagles, even though Carroll said he was “definitely ready to go” after a heavy rehab weekend which sounds exactly like a veteran pushing hard while the medical staff quietly hits the brakes.
Then came the Giants game: Smith took two sacks, threw another interception in a rough season, and finally rolled his ankle on a play that just looked like one collision too many for a quarterback who’s been hit far too often. It’s the kind of sequence that feels less like one freak injury and more like a whole season of punishment boiling over.
Geno Smith Stats
Geno Smith’s 2025 numbers with the Raiders are rough on paper, with more interceptions and sacks than anyone around the team would like to admit. Heading into that Giants game, he already led the league with 15 interceptions, and the pick he threw before the ankle injury pushed him to 16, paired with just 18 touchdown passes and a sack total north of 50, a neighborhood usually reserved for “please help this man” offensive lines.
Earlier in his Seattle stretch, the story was very different: across 54 games with the Seahawks from 2020–2024, he piled up nearly 13,000 passing yards, 76 touchdowns, 36 interceptions, and a passer rating just under 96, looking like one of the better late-career breakout quarterbacks in recent memory.
That contrast, efficient, record-setting leader in Seattle versus beat-up, turnover-prone survivor in Las Vegas, is exactly why this injury stings; it feels less like bad luck and more like the culmination of a season where too much has been put on his arm and his body.
Disclaimer:
This article is for general sports news and informational purposes only, based on publicly available reports at the time of writing. It should not be treated as medical advice, betting guidance, or official team communication. Always check team and league sources for final decisions
