Geno Smith: 'I'm not a troublemaker'
New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith addressed an incident on a Virgin America flight where he was asked to leave the plane last month.
Smith reportedly argued with a flight attendant over wearing his headphones, Smith left the plane and spoke to a supervisor. No charges were filed and Smith received an apology nearly a week later.
Smith declined to specify what happened to Jets reporters and said he had no regrets.
“You’re a quarterback in the NFL,” Smith said when asked generally about being in the spotlight. “So that’s enough. I understand what my job entails. I understand what comes with it. So it’s not a big deal. I’ve just got to continue to do the things that got me here, which is be myself. I’m not a troublemaker. I’m not a bad person. I don’t do things to get in trouble.”
Smith said he spoke to coach Rex Ryan about the situation.
“He basically explained that he and I, in the position that we’re in, head coach and quarterback, we’re looked at differently,” Smith said. “And I understand that. I knew that prior to his conversation. But it’s always good to get some more light from him. He was understanding, so it was all good.”
And Jets general manager John Idzik discussed Smith this week.
"No, not really concerns about his judgment," Idzik said. "We’ve talked a lot about when you’re in the NFL, when you’re a quarterback in the NFL, and when you’re a quarterback for an NFL franchise in a big market such as New York, all eyes are on you 24/7. I think Geno is experiencing this first-hand.
"Obviously, I’ve kept in close contact with him. I think this is part of learning how to deal with those things. We’ve addressed them. He’s addressed them. So no real concerns that way. It’s just how to deal with your celebrity and the visibility that goes along with the position."
After a season where he threw 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, Smith expects the Jets to bring in competition for him next season.
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Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
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This story originally appeared on Nationalfootballpost.com
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