Back in August, Daniel Jones was asked if he looks at the success a handful of quarterbacks have had reviving their careers in recent years. The names thrown out to Jones are the ones you've probably heard grouped together quite a bit: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Geno Smith.
"Looking at those guys, seeing their success, I think they all did it in different ways," Jones said. "I think my situation and being here, I certainly prepare and play and expect to have success. So, every guy has a different way of doing a little bit, but there's been plenty examples of guys going on and having a lot of success."
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill may be a more direct comparison to Jones, mostly in that he went directly from the Miami Dolphins to the Titans; Jones went from the New York Giants to the Minnesota Vikings, where he didn't play, to the Colts. Mayfield played for two teams (the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams) after being jettisoned by the Cleveland Browns; Darnold had stops with the Panthers and San Francisco 49ers before landing with the Vikings; Smith was with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before catching on with the Seattle Seahawks, where he spent three seasons before becoming a starter.
Smith's stop with the Chargers is what's relevant here, as in 2018, his quarterbacks coach in Los Angeles was Shane Steichen – now the Colts' head coach who will face off against Smith's Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
When Smith got to the Chargers, he hadn't been a regular starter since the 2014 season – his last of two years as the New York Jets' starter, a span in which he threw 25 touchdowns and 34 interceptions over 30 games. He attempted just 92 passes from 2015-2017, and even though the Chargers didn't need him to play in 2018 – Philip Rivers started all 16 games on a 12-4 team – he made a strong impression on Steichen.
"I think it always goes back to that preparation and that work ethic," Steichen said. "Even in the offseason when we signed him, he was a 6 a.m. guy studying the playbook. His notebook was just notes galore, going through everything. He studied like he was the starter. And then obviously being around Rivers and being in that room, I think that's great growth there. And then obviously to see him get his opportunity, I wasn't surprised by the success that he had in Seattle."
Smith finally got his chance to be a full-time starter in 2022 with the Seahawks, and he led the NFL with a completion percentage of 69.8 percent with 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions. From 2022-2024, Smith completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 12,226 yards with 71 touchdowns, 35 interceptions and a passer rating of 95.5; the Seahawks went 27-22 in his 49 starts. Smith was traded to the Raiders this offseason, where he reunited with head coach Pete Carroll, who was the Seahawks' coach from 2010-2023.
Steichen, though, is not surprised by the success Smith has had since becoming a starter again. What he saw in 2018 led him to believe Smith would thrive if he were to get another opportunity, and while Smith and Jones are different players, there is one key through line between both second-chance quarterbacks: How hard they work, no matter the circumstances around them.
"I think it always comes back to the work ethic and the preparation," Steichen said. "You can't cheat your work ethic. The guys at that position that work the hardest usually are pretty successful and have success at the position. And he put in the work, put in the time. Very excited for him and what he's doing."
