Tom Brady’s 8-Word Message for Raiders QB Geno Smith Revealed
Geno Smith’s Las Vegas Raiders debut went about as well as anybody could’ve hoped for. The team beat the New England Patriots 20-13, and while Smith did have one interception, he kept the ball moving and made some big plays when they needed him to.
He finished the game with 362 passing yards and a touchdown. It was the best quarterback performance the Raiders have had in at least two seasons, and it was just his first game. The team has to be feeling good about where he can lead them.
One person who was definitely keeping a close eye on Smith’s performance was Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. Las Vegas was playing his former team, and though he couldn’t be at the game, he made sure to send Smith a text after the win.
“Good game. Get ready for the next one,” Brady texted to Smith, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Due to his obligations with Fox Sports, Brady isn’t going to be at very many Raiders games this season. However, it’s clear that he’s still going to make his presence felt, especially for the quarterback.
Raiders Not Celebrating Too Much
The Raiders did start the season on a high note, but they beat a team that has won back games in each of the last two seasons and a young, unproven quarterback. People were high on the Patriots this season due to the upgrades to the roster and coaching staff, but they still haven’t proven they’re a good team.
Smith was happy to get the win, but he’s not making too big a deal about it.
“It’s just one win,” Smith said, via Breer. “It’s hard to win in the NFL—takes a lot of hard work. The thing I saw with the game flow, midway through the second quarter, we hit a rut, but no one was down on themselves. We regrouped and executed after the half. I always look at the things we can improve on and get better at. But we all stuck together. No one was upset. That’s the markings of a Pete Carroll team.”
Head coach Pete Carroll has been Smith’s biggest supporter, but thought he simply had a normal game on Sunday.
“Geno had a regular game today,” Carroll told reporters after the game. “I don’t think it was a statement game or anything like that; I just think it was what he does.”
Smith Knows Raiders Still Have Work To Do
The Raiders have been really good at losing ugly games the last several years, but the fact that they were able to adjust in the second half and take control against the Patriots is a very good sign.
It’s clear that Las Vegas is finally headed in the right direction, but it remains to be seen how far they can go this year. Smith isn’t going to make too much of the hot start, and he’s stressing that there’s still work that needs to be done.
“It’s a great opportunity, but we can’t bypass the work,” Smith said. “It is cool thinking about what we can be, but if we don’t take the right approach, it will just be a dream. We have to make it a reality. “
Nick Sirianni weighs in on Eagles rookie Jihaad Campbell's reassuring NFL debut vs Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell proved why he was taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in Week 1's win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football.
The Alabama product was credited with forcing a fumble on Cowboys running back Miles Sanders during a crucial drive late in the third quarter. He also broke up a deep pass intended for tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, a play that likely would have resulted in a touchdown.
While fans were more than excited with what they saw from Campbell in his first NFL regular-season debut, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn't give in to the hype.
"I thought he did some really good things," Sirianni said. "Obviously, like all of us, we all had plays that we want back and we all had plays where there were some good and there was some bad, and that’s the game of football. You try to fix those things and move on and try to repeat the things that you had success with. I thought he did some really nice things in the game. I think you saw his speed, his length, his range in coverage, and I think you saw some of his ability in the run game. And there’s things that he has to work on as well, like we all do."
Jihaad Campbell's Next Chance to Prove He's a Future NFL Star Will Come vs. Kansas City
Sirianni, downplaying his performance, even admitted that he couldn't wait to get back to the practice field with Campbell.
"Look forward to getting back out there with him on the practice field because I think this is a guy that’s just going to continue to get better the more he plays football," Sirianni said. "Another guy that loves this game, has great work ethic and great work habits, and excited about the direction that he can go in that we see, but it takes what it takes, and he is going to have to work at it every single day. And I love that about him, that he has that in his DNA, that he is going to want to do that and to continue to get better."
The Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 this Sunday. It's a Super Bowl LIX rematch for most of Philly's players, but for Campbell, it's another chance to prove he's right on track to becoming an NFL star.
