Todd Bowles thinks Geno Smith has a prime opportunity with the Jets

Todd Bowles, for all his faults as head coach of the New York Jets, was always one of the more respectable coaches in recent team history.

Even since his firing following the 2018 season, Bowles has never once taken an opportunity to bash his former team, despite having every reason to do so after getting the rug pulled out from under him after Year 1 of the Sam Darnold experiment.

Bowles' first season in New York was his best, going 10-6 with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. His starter was supposed to be current Jets quarterback Geno Smith, but the training camp incident with IK Enemkpali put the kibosh on that.

Despite only spending two years with Smith in New York, Bowles still has respect for his former Jets quarterback and believes he can revitalize himself in 2026 after a down year in Las Vegas.

Todd Bowles believes Geno Smith can succeed with the Jets

At the NFL's league owners' meetings, Bowles was asked about Smith's return to New York and pointed to other quarterbacks who have been able to turn their careers around after rough patches.

"You've seen Sam (Darnold) come out and come back and succeed elsewhere. You've seen Baker (Mayfield) come back and succeed elsewhere. You've seen quite a few guys – (Daniel) Jones made a resurgence. So Geno's played enough football, maybe he's at the right place at the right time."

Todd Bowles

Jets fans are hoping it's the right place at the right time for Smith, the quarterback who head coach Aaron Glenn deemed will take the team to the "promised land."

It's hard to compare the former Jets draft pick to quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield. Smith's career has been a lot longer, and he hasn't reached the heights of Darnold over his last two seasons in Minnesota and Seattle.

But competency is the key for the Jets this season, and it's something they've struggled to get out of their quarterbacks for what feels like a lifetime. The bar is low for Smith, and if he is able to regain the form he had when he was with the Seahawks, the Jets should be in a good spot.