FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Brandon Marshall was only a few feet away from Geno Smith when the quarterback was sucker punched by a teammate. It was Aug. 11, 2015, a routine day in the New York Jets' locker room -- that is, until a simmering dispute over $600 exploded into violence. Smith was decked by linebacker IK Enemkpali, who delivered an uppercut that sent Smith into his locker and changed his career trajectory. In an instant, he went from QB1 to front-page headline. Marshall was stunned by what he witnessed that day. Over time, he has gained appreciation for the way Smith, now back for a second stint with the Jets, has responded.

"You see what happened; something like that usually crushes guys -- it's over and it's done," the now-retired Marshall said. "You go to New York City, you lose it all and you're embarrassed, right? Your jaw is broken and you shut down and it's over." But, no, he stayed the course. [He went from the role of] backup, backup, backup, backup, backup and -- boom: 'They wrote me off, I ain't write back though' -- one of the greatest moments over the past 50 years. His grandkids are going to see that when the NFL puts out the 50 best clips from the sideline.

He was referring to Smith's viral comment from a postgame interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters after his 2022 Week 1 victory for the Seattle Seahawks -- his signature season in a career that has included more rises and falls than a volatile week on Wall Street. The 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year is back with the team that drafted him in 2013, trying to stage yet another comeback after a disappointing season with the Las Vegas Raiders that raised some of the old questions about Smith, known as interception-prone. But those who know Smith say this is when he's at his best. Most athletes feed on doubt and criticism; for him, they're essential nourishment. His career started with a perceived slight -- he fell to the second round of the draft -- and he has collected similar receipts over the years.

"He has this freaking, like, boss tenacity and leadership where guys are going to respect him," said Marshall, who lived with Smith for a few months before the 2015 season. "You can't push Geno over. That is needed in the locker room, especially today."

THINGS DIDN'T END fondly in New York for Smith. He went 11-18 with 34 interceptions in two seasons as the Jets' starter, getting the job because of an injury (Mark Sanchez's season-ending shoulder surgery in the 2013 preseason) before losing it to Ryan Fitzpatrick because of his aforementioned broken jaw. Smith moved to the New York Giants in 2017 and became the guy who replaced Eli Manning for one game, ending Manning's iron man streak at 210 consecutive starts -- an infamous decision by Ben Mc Adoo that led to the coach's ouster. It's almost surreal that Smith is back where he began, trying to lift a franchise that hasn't enjoyed a winning season since he was injured and replaced by Fitzpatrick. There's something oddly karmic about Smith's return, something very Jets-ian. It would be a legacy-altering comeback if he can right the wrongs of his first incarnation.

"That would be like a story in a movie, right?" Smith said. "[It would be] kind of like one of those superhero movies." The Jets have been looking for their Captain America since Joe Namath left them a half-century ago. When Smith takes the field for the season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 13 (1 p.m. ET, CBS), he will become their eighth different Week 1 starter in the past 11 years. His last season-opening start for the Jets was 2014 -- a 12-year separation. No quarterback in the Super Bowl era has had a longer gap between opening-day starts for a single franchise, according to ESPN Research. Digest this: He needs 332 passing yards to move past Zach Wilson for 10th place on the team's all-time list -- a factoid that could evoke a variety of emotions from Jets fans, impatiently waiting for a franchise quarterback. Can Smith, discarded by the 3...