Last Word On Pro Football, by Stephen Ur
New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith tore his ACL in the team’s win against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Smith started his first game since Dec. 28, 2014 yesterday after Ryan Fitzpatrick was benched. Fitzpatrick threw 11 interceptions in six games, including six in a blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs back in Week Three.
Sources: Based on initial MRI, belief is that #Jets QB Geno Smith tore his ACL. Incredible. Players in the locker room are learning about it
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 24, 2016
New York Jets Quarterback Geno Smith Suffers Torn ACL
Geno left the game early in the second quarter. Fitzpatrick took over and threw for 120 yards and a touchdown in the 24-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Jets play the Cleveland Browns on the road next Sunday.
Fitzpatrick was named the Jets starting quarterback after Week 2 in 2015 after Smith was punched by former teammate IK Enemkpali. The punch resulted in Smith suffering a broken jaw. He would go on to miss the remainder of the season.
The Jets signed Fitz to a one-year deal after they finished the 2015 season 10-6. They missed the playoffs after they lost to the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Browns to clinch the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs.
Should Fitz continue his struggles during the season, the only other two quarterbacks on the Jets roster are Bryce Petty and rookie Christian Hackenburg. Petty has never taken a snap in his NFL career. Hackenburg was an average college quarterback and hasn’t impressed the Jets thus far.
Fitz bashed the Jets’ ownership during his postgame press conference on Sunday.
“When the owner stops believing in you and the GM stops believing in you and the coaches stop believing in you, all you have is yourself,” he said. “That’s something I’ve dealt with before and something I’m dealing with now.”
New York currently sits at 2-5 and are last in the AFC East. They will play their next two games on the road before playing three home games in a row.
