The blame game between the two parties continues publicly. Believe whichever side you wish to believe.
Why Did Geno Smith Really Fire His Agents? | Deadspin
After the
NY Daily News story broke, Smith did a radio interview and said that the firing of the agents was "not because of one particular incident, there are a number of things".
Select Sports Group issued the following statement:
“We worked tirelessly for Geno Smith and all of our draft prospects. The NFL Draft is unpredictable, and we prepared Geno and all of our draft prospects, as we do every year, about what can happen during the draft. Not only did we tell him that what transpired on the first day of the draft was possible, the question of whether Geno would be a first- or second-round pick was arguably the most talked about subject in the three months leading up to the draft. We wish Geno the best.”
The
Deadspin article states that they "spoke to a person close to Geno Smith", and that source stated that Select Sports Group "absolutely told Geno he'd go No. 1" - though it is not indicated whether that first hand, or second hand through Smith. The source also says that Smith was more bothered by that number one pick comment as being the sole reason why he fired the agency.
Allegedly Smith felt he was not handled well throughout the entire process. Specifically he says that he disagreed with their advice that he skip the Senior Bowl, and after he was criticized by
Pro Football Weekly for not partaking in the event, he felt that the agents should have done something to combat that negative press.
There is also this, which seems a bit whiny and unrealistic if true. What are the agents supposed to do, not help their other clients find jobs?
Smith also felt betrayed, perhaps unfairly, when Jeff Nalley had two of his quarterback clients sign with teams that might have been landing spots for Smith—Chase Daniel in Kansas City and Kevin Kolb in Buffalo. (This argument doesn't hold much water after the Bills traded down to take E.J. Manuel.)
