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Seahawks QB Geno Smith: Rams WR Robbed of Career, 'Would Still Be Balling!’

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith laments how former St. Louis Rams receiver Stedman Bailey, his college teammate at West Virginia, had his career cut short

Jon Alfano

In this story:

Long before Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith won Comeback Player of the Year in 2022, he was dominating the college ranks with the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Smith, who played at West Virginia from 2009 to 2012, was the best quarterback in Mountaineers history and still holds many passing records at the school. His senior season was particularly special, as he completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 4,205 yards and 42 touchdowns with just six interceptions. Even with that outstanding season, Smith was not named a Heisman Trophy finalist that season.

If one were to ask Smith, though, the more egregious snub was towards his favorite target, receiver Stedman Bailey. Bailey put on a show alongside Smith in 2012, posting 114 receptions for 1,622 yards and 25 touchdowns. Bailey, who also played along Smith in high school, was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football, but lost out to USC Trojans star Marquise Lee, who had similar stats but 11 fewer touchdowns. To Smith, Bailey losing the award was a highway robbery.

"Stedman was ROBBED of the Beltinikoff that year.. that was the real crime," Smith wrote on Twitter.

Bailey would get a chance at the NFL level, being a third-round pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2013. His career started off decently as a solid depth receiver, but unfortunately, tragedy would cut his career short.

In November 2015, Bailey and three of his family members were victims of a drive-by shooting in Miami Gardens, Florida. Bailey miraculously survived two gunshot wounds to the head, but he would never suit up in the NFL again. He told Bleacher Report in 2018 that he was attempting a comeback, but nothing materialized.

Several years later, Smith laments about his longtime teammate having his career abruptly ended.

"Would've still been balling no doubt," Smith wrote in response to a fan praising Bailey.

Bailey wasn't the only West Virginia receiver to play for the Rams, as Tavon Austin, Smith's other favorite target in college, was the No. 8 overall pick by St. Louis in 2013. Austin sadly never lived up to his draft pedigree, and in 2018, the Rams traded him to the Dallas Cowboys for just a sixth-round pick. There is a happy ending, though, as all three players were inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in September.

Even though his NFL career came to a tragic, premature end, Bailey's story of survival is nothing short of remarkable. Today, he's living with his family in South Florida, and he's thankful for every moment.

"I've got my wife and my son, and right now we are expecting," Bailey told WVU Athletics in September. "I'm in a really good place, and I'm thankful and grateful to be alive."

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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