Geno Smith is seeing red in his return to New York.
The Jets, who acquired Smith this offseason, are hoping they get a changed passer from the last time he suited up for "Gang Green." That might be the case, at least cosmetically.
The veteran quarterback noted a small change in eyewear in camp, opting to wear red contact lenses that he says helps with the "glare" on the field.
Geno Smith has been wearing red contacts at practice for the 1st time to help with glare issues.
— Dennis Waszak Jr. (@DWAZ73) August 6, 2026
Said he first heard about them from Santonio Holmes when they were #Jets teammates (‘13). Said he spoke to some eye specialists & they suggested them.
Says they give a yellow tint pic.twitter.com/AOQftkP8AE
Smith said he'd first heard of the contacts from former NFL wide receiver
Santonio Holmes, with whom he'd shared a locker room with in 2013.
The passer isn't the first NFL player to try out the red contact lenses. Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert made waves when his baby blues shifted to something different last season during training camp, explaining that he didn't like the feel of his helmet visor.
"I didn't have to squint nearly as much (wearing the contacts)," he said via the Chargers official website. "When I stepped into the huddle, I think some of the guys were a little surprised. Think they were like, 'Oh, we're gonna score.'"
The Jets are surely hoping that the contacts help Smith see the field a bit differently than recent years. The journeyman is coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 17 interceptions for one of the league's worst offenses in Las Vegas.
In 2024, Smith threw 15 interceptions with the Seattle Seahawks, the last season of his tenure with Seattle that saw him rejuvenate his career. He was drafted by the Jets in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, spending the first four seasons of his career with the Jets before moving onto the New York Giants, Chargers, Seahawks and Raiders.
It remains to be seen how much the latest change of scenery – and eyewear – elevates Smith's game.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seeing red? Geno Smith testing unusual eyewear with new look
