Geno Smith in Trouble for Playoff Remarks: 'I'm Not a Diva,' Says Rookie (VIDEO)
The Jets' new rookie quarterback, Geno Smith, has blamed the media for painting him out as a "diva" when his is actually a "nice guy."
For a rookie, Smith has spoken quite frankly about his playoff prospects. Just after being drafted by the Jets, the rookie did an on camera interview predicting that his face would make a playoff appearance. But too much talk without even a chance for action has gotten the player in a bit of trouble, he says.
"I've already gotten in trouble for saying some things about playoffs and things, which I don't regret," Smith said Sunday on SiriusXM Radio, speaking from the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles.
Smith's representation in the media has been less than flattering. Accusing them of painting him as a "diva," Smith says the scrutiny of the media in New York has been an "eye-opening" experience. But it's just a ploy to get more interesting headlines, the rookie prompted.
"I don't think I'm a bad guy," he told the station. "I don't think I'm some of the things they try to make me out to be. It's a part of the media. The one thing that I understand is you can't take it personally. Those guys have jobs and the key to their jobs is to sell papers and to keep the fans looking. So they're going to spin things and try to make an interesting story out of something that may not be so interesting."
He is definitely not a "diva," he explained.
"From the standpoint of me being a diva, you talk to my teammates and coaches from Little League. Nobody will say that," he said.
Regarding previous draft rumors made by "anonymous" sources, Smith stated that most of them were wrong.
"There were a lot of things that were said that were anonymous and inaccurate. But all that comes with (the territory). I'm built for it, so I'm not really worried about it," he noted.
