Tag: Smith

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Reports: Raiders to release QB Geno Smith

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Geno Smith is expected to be released by the Raiders before the start of the league year on March 11, when the long-expected vacancy at quarterback in Las Vegas reportedly will become official.

The Raiders are projected to use the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, but at the NFL Scouting Combine last month, general manager John Spytek appeared to keep the door open for Smith to stick around. He said the Raiders don’t necessarily want a rookie to take the snaps as the starter in Week 1 of the 2026 regular season.

Kenny Pickett, Smith’s backup who took over late in the season when he was injured, is a free agent.

But releasing Smith after one season as the team’s starter will save the Raiders $8 million in cap space, sparing the automatic guarantee in Smith’s contract that would’ve hit the books March 13.

The Raiders would eat $18.5 million in dead money but cutting Smith, who was acquired in March 2025 in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks to be the starter for Pete Carroll.

Carroll didn’t last a second season and Smith barely survived the physical beating of playing behind one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines.

He threw a league-worst 17 interceptions and passed for 3,025 yards with 15 touchdowns in 15 starts. He was sacked 55 times.

Smith, 35, has played for five NFL franchises since being drafted 39th overall by the Jets in 2013.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith (81) reacts in the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Steelers release TE Jonnu Smith

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Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith was released Thursday as Pittsburgh begins reshaping its roster around the scheme of new head coach Mike McCarthy.

Smith had 38 receptions for 222 yards and two touchdowns in 2025.

Smith, 30, was acquired by the Steelers from the Dolphins in the trade involving defensive backs Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

In 141 career games (91 starts) for the Tennessee Titans (2017-20), New England Patriots (2021-22), Atlanta Falcons (2023), Dolphins (2024) and Steelers, Smith has 345 receptions for 3,529 yards and 30 touchdowns.

The team also confirmed offensive lineman Calvin Anderson was released on Thursday.

Anderson appeared in 59 career games with 14 starts since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots in 2019.

Anderson was signed by the Steelers during the 2024 season and appeared in four games before being placed on injured reserve. He was activated for the wild-card loss at Baltimore in 2024.

–Field Level Media

Raiders QB Geno Smith back as starter vs. Texans

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Quarterback Geno Smith will return to the starting lineup for the Las Vegas Raiders after a one-game absence, coach Pete Carroll said Friday.

Smith missed last Sunday’s 31-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles due to shoulder and back injuries. He returns to face the Houston Texans, who feature the NFL’s top defense.

Smith sat out the final quarter of a 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 7 due to the right shoulder injury and a cut on his throwing hand.

Kenny Pickett replaced Smith in the Denver contest and started against the Eagles. Things didn’t go well against Philadelphia as Las Vegas managed just 75 total yards and seven first downs. Pickett was 15-of-25 passing for 64 yards and one interception and he was sacked four times.

Smith has thrown for 2,648 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has been sacked 49 times in 13 games.

The Texans feature two of the best pass rushers in the NFL in defensive ends Danielle Hunter (12 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.5). Houston leads the league in scoring defense (16.3 points per game) and total defense (269.2 yards per game) and also has intercepted 16 passes.

The Raiders (2-12) have lost eight straight games while Houston (9-5) has won six in a row.

–Field Level Media

Raiders QB Geno Smith (shoulder) exits vs. Broncos

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith exited Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos with a right shoulder injury.

Smith was injured during the third quarter and later gave way to backup Kenny Pickett at the start of the fourth quarter.

Raiders coach Pete Carroll was concerned afterward but said initial tests “didn’t show any damage” to Smith’s passing shoulder.

“It’s just kind of jammed up right now,” Carroll said. “The early indications that they were able to get didn’t show any damage. His shoulder’s really locked up. So, we’ll see what that means.”

Carroll said he didn’t see Smith get injured.

“From what I understand, and I didn’t see the play happen, but he got banged on the shoulder pretty obviously,” Carroll said

Smith also sustained an injury to his right hand in the first half.

“From what I heard, he got his hand cut and it was bleeding a lot,” Carroll said. “And so, they just had to stop the bleeding. He got kicked or scraped or something like that. That’s what I heard, I didn’t see that. But his shoulder — he got hit pretty good.”

Smith completed 13 of 21 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown before exiting. Pickett finished 8-of-11 passing for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Smith, 35, has passed for 2,648 yards and 16 touchdowns and is tied for the NFL lead with 14 interceptions. He is in his first season with the Raiders after being acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason.

Pickett, a former starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers, also is in his first season with Las Vegas. He was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in late August.

The Raiders (2-11) have lost seven straight games heading into the Dec. 14 game at the Philadelphia Eagles.

–Field Level Media

No. 1 Ohio State missing top two receivers vs. Rutgers

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Ohio State won’t have top receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate when the No. 1 Buckeyes play Rutgers in Columbus on Saturday.

The availability report released prior to the game listed both as “out” with undisclosed injuries.

Tate will miss his third straight game for the Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten). He ranks second on the team after Smith in catches (39), receiving yards (711) and touchdown receptions (seven).

Smith played three first-half series in the Nov. 15 win against UCLA before being pulled after making four grabs for 40 yards. He leads the team with 69 receptions, 902 receiving yards and 10 TD catches.

Tate and Smith were both named as semifinalists on Monday for the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation’s top wide receiver.

–Field Level Media

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Ducks QB Dante Moore newest Heisman favorite

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Five official weeks of the 2025 college football season have now produced a half dozen Heisman Trophy favorites.

The new leading candidate is Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, who rose to the top spot at most sportsbooks following the Ducks’ 30-24 win at Penn State on Saturday. Moore completed 29 of 39 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns while Oregon improved to 5-0, and he is now the +750 Heisman favorite at BetMGM and DraftKings, among other.

Moore began the season at +2000 but has benefited from a combination of injuries and subpar play from five other quarterbacks who have spent time at the top: Texas’ Arch Manning, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Oklahoma’s John Mateer and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Moore’s rise thus far pales in comparison to that of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who opened as a +5500 longshot. A season-opening loss to Florida State was a further setback, but Simpson has impressed since. That includes throwing for 276 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Saturday’s win at Georgia, after which Simpson vaulted to the No. 2 Heisman favorite at +900 with DraftKings.

All the shuffling among the marquee quarterbacks has also helped the campaign of Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. He is now tied for the third-shortest odds at +1100 along with Beck and Mendoza.

Smith has racked up 396 yards and four touchdowns on 28 catches through five games. Mendoza briefly rose to the Heisman favorite perch last week, but slipped following a modest performance in a tight victory over Iowa.

HEISMAN TROPHY ODDS*
PLAYER, POS, TEAM, WEEK 5, CURRENT
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon (+1000), (+750)
Carson Beck, QB, Miami (+1200), (+900)
Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama (+2000), (+1000)
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (+1400), (+1000)
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (+650), (+1300)
Joey Aguilar, QB, Tennessee (+1500), (+1300)
Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M (+1500), (+1500)
Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt, (+5000), (+1500)
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss (+1500)
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State (+1700), (+1700)
Arch Manning, QB, Texas (+2500), (+2000)
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia (+1400), (+2000)
Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State (+4000), (+2000)
Jayden Maiava, QB, Southern Cal (+1600), (+2000)

Miami quarterback Carson Beck was idle over the weekend ahead of a critical game for his Heisman hopes at rival Florida State this Saturday. He currently owns the second shortest odds at BetMGM, where Smith and Simpson are both being offered at +1000 ahead of Mendoza and Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar at +1300.

Simpson was +2000 at the book just last week. In addition to the big win at Georgia hurting counterpart Gunner Stockton’s campaign, Simpson benefitted by LSU’s Nussmeier and Southern Cal’s Jayden Maiava suffering losses over the weekend.

One of the biggest risers this week was Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who rocketed from +5000 to +1500 after accounting for six touchdowns in a rout of Utah State. Also entering the conversation was Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who wasn’t even on BetMGM’s board at the outset. But he is now +1500 after orchestrating the 24-19 upset of LSU.

The constant fluctuation in the Heisman race before the calendar even his October stands to serve as a significant win for sportsbooks.

BetMGM reported that its four biggest liabilities in the market are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Manning, Mateer and Sellers. Manning has still been backed by the most money (12 percent), followed by Nussmeier (8.8), Mateer (7.6) and Sellers (7.1). Love, who opened at +5000, is still on the outside of the conversation at +2500 while drawing 4.7 percent of the money.

The biggest current threat to the book is Smith, who has been backed by 6.9 percent of the money and 8.0 percent of the bets since opening at +1300.

–Field Level Media

Sep 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith (73) blocks against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Cowboys’ Tyler Smith signs $96M extension, best ever for a guard

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The Dallas Cowboys signed Tyler Smith to a four-year, $96 million extension on Saturday, making him the top-paid guard in NFL history.

Smith’s deal includes $81.2 million in guaranteed money. The extension, which averages $24 million per season, runs through the 2030 season.

Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs was the highest-paid guard when he signed a four-year, $94 million deal in July. His extension averages $23.5 million per season.

Tyler Smith, 24, was a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past two seasons and a second-team All Pro in 2023. His Week 1 start was his 48th straight since joining the Cowboys.

Smith was a first-round pick (No. 24 overall) from Tulsa in the 2022 draft. He will make $2.53 million this season in Year 4 of his rookie contract.

–Field Level Media

Oct 9, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; United States olympian Michael Phelps and his son Boomer attend the Washington Redskins game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Michael Phelps makes a splash with Ravens’ swimming lessons

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Baltimore Ravens All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith didn’t grow up with access to a swimming pool in his rural Georgia town and never learned proper swimming techniques.

But Smith, some teammates and some local children got lessons on the basics this week from a Baltimore legend and Ravens super fan, 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.

“I’m the type of swimmer that if I have to swim less than 20 yards, I could survive somehow because I could doggy paddle,” Smith, 28, told the team website. “But as far as actually swimming and knowing how to breathe and things of that nature, honestly, it was my first time. It was really cool. It was really solid, some of the lessons they gave me. I feel a little more confident.”

Last month, cornerback Marlon Humphrey posted a video to Instagram that asked Phelps for his assistance. The Ravens added a recovery pool when they renovated their Under Armour Performance Center, and not everyone on the team can take advantage because they aren’t proficient swimmers.

In the video, Humphrey and teammates Ronnie Stanley, Kyle Hamilton and Charlie Kolar made a collective appeal to Phelps, 40. Each recited a line.

“Mr. Phelps, we have a problem. Did you know that one in three Ravens cannot swim? We have a solution for you, sir. Come to Ravens training camp and this beautiful aquatic center and teach us how to swim,” they said.

And Phelps happily jumped into the pool this week with the Ravens, working on skills such as holding their breath under water, kicking their feet and floating on their backs.

“Thank you guys for taking this step and being vulnerable,” Phelps told the Ravens’ website. “I know not all of you do know how to swim. So, I thank you so much. This whole city, you know, looks up to every single one of you. You guys getting into the water to do this could potentially save and change somebody else’s life in a positive way.”

The Michael Phelps Foundation has a mission of helping people of all ages gain confidence in the water. Eight children from the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore also took part in the lessons.

The Ravens made a $100,000 donation to the foundation

“It’s awesome what his foundation focuses on — saving lives, mental health, and things of that nature. It’s major,” Smith said. “Hats off to him, and I’m just grateful I was able to be in there and take something from his team. Obviously, he’s a living legend.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) reacts as he takes the field prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Reports: Steelers, Dolphins swap Jalen Ramsey, Minkah Fitzpatrick

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The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins, multiple news outlets reported Monday.

Ramsey confirmed the development on X, posting: “Break my own news! #HereWeGo @steelers.”

The Steelers also will receive tight end Jonnu Smith, ESPN reported. Pittsburgh is sending All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and an unspecified late-round draft pick to Miami to complete the blockbuster trade, per ESPN.

Ramsey, 30, did not attend Miami’s mandatory minicamp earlier this month while the team attempted to secure a trade partner. The Steelers and Los Angeles Rams were considered the most likely destinations.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said prior to the 2025 NFL Draft that Ramsey didn’t request a trade, but they came to the joint realization that a potential move made sense following several conversations about his contract.

Ramsey signed a three-year contract extension in September 2024 and started all 17 games for Miami, posting two interceptions, 11 passes defensed and 60 tackles last season.

ESPN reported that the Steelers are giving Ramsey a $1.5 million raise in 2025 as part of the agreement, bumping his compensation to $26.6 million.

Ramsey went to Miami in March 2023 in a trade with the Rams for a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long. Ramsey missed the first seven games that season with a knee injury, but he still made the Pro Bowl for the seventh time.

Ramsey has tallied 24 interceptions, 108 passes defensed and 534 tackles in 135 career games (134 starts) with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-19), Rams (2019-22) and Dolphins. The Jaguars drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 draft.

Ramsey joins a loaded Steelers secondary that includes incumbent starter Joey Porter Jr. and offseason signee Darius Slay Jr.

Fitzpatrick, 28, is a five-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro selection who launched his career in Miami as a first-round pick (11th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Fitzpatrick recorded 96 tackles and one interception in 17 starts last season. He has 20 picks, 54 passes defensed and 608 tackles in 106 career games (101 starts) with the Dolphins (2018-19) and Steelers. Miami traded him to Pittsburgh in September 2019.

He signed a four-year, $73.6 million deal with the Steelers in June 2022 and is set to earn $15.5 million in 2025 and $17.6 million in 2026.

Smith, 29, was selected in the third round of the 2017 draft by the Tennessee Titans and spent his first four seasons there, followed by two seasons with the New England Patriots and one each with the Atlanta Falcons and Dolphins.

In 17 games (six starts) last season, he caught 88 passes for 884 yards with eight touchdowns. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl. In 124 career games (84 starts), he has 307 receptions for 3,307 yards and 28 scores.

–Field Level Media

Sep 15, 2023; College Park, Maryland, USA; Detailed view of a Maryland Terrapins helmet during the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Virginia Cavaliers at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Former Braves VP James E. Smith named Maryland AD

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Maryland named former Atlanta Braves executive James E. Smith as its new athletic director on Thursday.

Smith had been the Braves’ senior vice president of business strategy for the past five years.

Smith previously served as president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association.

“We are proud of the athletics tradition here at the University of Maryland and of the accomplishments of our coaches and student-athletes who represent the red, black, white and gold,” Maryland president Darryll J. Pines said in a release. “As college athletics rapidly evolves, Jim brings valuable administrative and business experience, plus the energy, vision and passion to lead our athletics program to new levels of success and impact.”

Smith’s background also includes a series of executive positions at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment, where he was in charge of revenue and marketing for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS club Atlanta United.

“It is a great honor to be chosen to lead the athletics department at the University of Maryland and to guide UMD’s storied programs into the next era,” Smith said. “I am highly motivated to build upon excellence and lead Maryland forward in a dynamic and pivotal time for intercollegiate athletics, with a sharp focus on student-athlete health, well-being and academic success.”

Smith replaces Damon Evans, who left in March to take the same position at SMU. Evans had been the Maryland athletic director since 2018.

–Field Level Media