© Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY
'I Feel Like I'm 25': Seahawks QB Geno Smith Reveals Key to Staying Fresh
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Following the Seattle Seahawks final preseason game Friday, coach Pete Carroll officially named Geno Smith the team's starting quarterback headed into Week 1 against the Denver Broncos.
The 31-year-old had a leg up on experience over his competition Drew Lock, who will now serve as a reliable backup behind the 10-year vet.
But despite Smith's veteran-like feel, he says his lack of playing time over the years has ironically helped him become more physically prepared for a role as a full-time starter for the first time since 2014 with the New York Jets.
He spoke about this in a recent interview with SiriusXM.
"I think I've been able to play 10 years in the league because I've remained in great shape," Smith said. "I feel like I'm like 25, 24-years-old man, my body's still young. Haven't taken a ton of hits. It's really about just getting stronger. That's what I did."
By 31, many quarterbacks would understandably begin to feel the physical deterioration their body naturally undergoes after years of getting hit.
And when Smith joined the Seahawks in 2020, he sat behind a guy that seemed destined to turn this notion completely on its head. Longtime Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson had never missed a game in his 10-year career - until last season when he finally did.
Wilson suffered a Week 5 finger injury that kept him out for three games, as his absence seemingly set Smith up for an opportunity to show he could still start in this league. The Seahawks elected to keep him around after trading Wilson rather than drafting or signing a new project at signal-caller.
Smith saw his opportunity and buckled down for the shot he'd been waiting for. Adding Lock to the equation via the Wilson trade made things more unpredictable, but Smith's preparation remained sound.
"I worked extremely hard during the offseason," he said. "And it's not like I'm just saying this just to say it, but I always prepare as if something's gonna happen and I'm gonna be starting ... This offseason, I guess the expectations were different, but as far as my training and everything else, it remained the same."
Smith will now get a chance to prove to Carroll that he made the right choice when Wilson and the Broncos come to Lumen Field on Monday, Sept. 12 in a highly-anticipated season-opening matchup.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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