NFL Fines Seahawks QB Geno Smith For Taunting Penalty

Losing his cool after a Bills defender hit him out of bounds, Geno Smith's wallet is now a bit lighter with the NFL fining him for post-play behavior.

Oct 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) passes against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills last week, the NFL has fined Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith $11,255 for an unsportsmanlike conduct/taunting penalty, continuing to bring questions about his on-field emotions to the forefront.

Showing his frustrations with his team trailing by 21 on the scoreboard late in the third quarter, Smith tossed the football at the helmet of defensive tackle Dawuane Smoot, drawing a flag from the sideline official. The infraction wiped out a 10-yard run and led to a Michael Dickson two plays later as the game continued to spiral out of hand.

As for why Smith option pitched the ball into Smoot's helmet, the veteran quarterback admitted on Thursday that he was "pretty upset" cornerback Taron Johnson wasn't flagged for a late hit shoving him out of bounds. But he knows as one of Seattle's veteran leaders that he has to do a better job of staying composed and keeping his emotions in check when adversity strikes.

"Those are things that I can't have happen. Obviously, everyone's watching me," Smith said. "If I'm upset, they get a little antsy. I've just got to have a better poker face and just work on it."

A passionate player who loves the game of football and plays with a chip on his shoulder every Sunday, Smith's emotions have gotten the better of him at times in regard to his body language on the field. During Sunday's game, he could be seen on FOX's broadcast simmering on the bench after a bad luck interception on a screen play in the third quarter, and he also made frustrated gestures to the sideline following a delay of game penalty in the fourth quarter.

From Smith's perspective, there's a balancing act he must master when it comes to managing the fire he plays with. On one hand, after being a backup for seven years, his unrelenting desire to succeed and love for the game carried him through difficult times to enjoy a rare career renaissance in Seattle. But on the other hand, he can't let his competitiveness cost him team yardage or points either, leaving plenty of room for growth as a leader.

"It's a big part of who I am. I love the game," Smith remarked. "I look forward to going to practice every day and trying to get better. The fire that I have inside of me, the chip on my shoulder, I think we've already talked about that, It's never going to leave. I just have to continue to maintain it. And yeah, it is my driving force. It has helped me get to this point and will carry me on into the future, but I can't let it affect me in a negative way."

When asked about Smith's penalty and overall leadership, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald agreed with his quarterback that taking away his competitive desire and passion for the sport would be the equivalent of taking away "one of his superpowers" as a player. The last thing he plans to do is pull him off to the side and tell him to stop demonstrating such passion or emotion, as he wants his players to have a similar mentality.

Considering what transpired in the first half that was out of Smith's control, Macdonald certainly understands why he was aggravated. On two red zone trips in the second quarter, center Connor Williams airmailed a snap over his head and tripped him up by stepping on his ankle on a fourth down opportunity, leaving the Seahawks with just three points on offense to show for their golden chances as they fell behind multiple scores before halftime.

But at the same time, being Seattle's starting quarterback and a respected presence in the locker room, Macdonald also understands the rest of the roster will follow Smith's lead no matter what and that he has to function with better poise and calm regardless of how a game unfolds. Always under the microscope playing the most important position in professional sports, Sunday's penalty and blowup should be viewed as a clear learning moment for him moving forward.

"We've got to bounce back, stay poised, mentally poised. Geno knows that. I thought for the most part, he's done a phenomenal job. We're going to follow the demonstration that he provides, for our offense and the rest of the team. Give him a chance to take a deep breath and go back and attack. That's the mentality I want as a football team. When we have adversity, we've got to do this. We've got to come together and connect in those moments rather than letting the emotion or the frustration get to us. We'll grow from that."

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