It was the blow heard around the world, or at least on One Jets Drive.

Back in August 2015, New York Jets teammates Geno Smith and IK Enemkpali had one of the most memorable training camp moments of all-time.

Smith played for the Jets from 2013-2016
Enemkpali infamously sucker-punched Smith in the Jets locker room, breaking his jaw and taking the starting quarterback out for months.

Enemkpali was released immediately after the incident and Smith was as ruled out for 6 to 10 weeks.

His jaw was fractured in two different places, and it was an embarrassing moment in Gang Green history.

Smith was the incumbent starter heading into the season. But with a broken jaw, it was Ryan Fitzpatrick who replaced him while he recovered.

Fitzpatrick started the year 2-0 and never looked back. Once Smith was cleared to play, it was too late, as head coach Todd Bowles decided to ride with Fitzpatrick for the rest of the year and the ensuing season.

Enemkpali’s punch to Smith essentially ended both of their times as Jets.

“There’s really not much for me to say. What happened is what happened,” Enemkpali recalled at the time.

Smith himself has never directly commented on the incident.

The altercation between the two reportedly stemmed from Smith owing Enemkpali after he had paid for Smith to fly out to his children’s camp, but Smith never showed.

Enemkpali fronted $1,200 for Smith’s plane fare and hotel. The two had eventually agreed to split the cost, but by the time Enemkpali confronted Smith, he still hadn’t paid him back.

Insert the sucker-punch.

Smith had few memorable moments as a member of the Jets

Smith tore his ACL the following year in 2016, marking the end of his time as a Jet
Teammates recalled the altercation to ESPN in a story of excerpts.

Former Jets linebacker Trevor Reilly seemed to have a front-row seat for the entire thing.

“It had been building for a while,” Reilly said.

“I don’t think Geno was necessarily trying to stiff him, I just think it was on the very bottom of his list of things to worry about at the time. It’s one of those things where $600 isn’t that much money when you’re at that level.

“We get to training camp and IK is asking him about it. That day, he asks him. I was sitting right there; my locker was next to Geno. Geno just kind of says, ‘Just chill, man, forget about it. What are you going to do if I don’t pay you?’

“IK reaches back and clocks him — a full swing. He hit him basically with an upper cut/cross to the jaw. Geno fell into my locker and I got out of the way.

“Geno was probably hurt, but I give him credit. He wrapped up IK, grabbed him and just tried to get through it. Different guys tried to break them up.”
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Smith would regain the starting role a year later during Week 6 of the season, after Fitzpatrick struggled.However, Smith tore his ACL the following week, ending his season and time as a New York Jet.

He signed with the Giants in the offseason and has since made a name for himself with the Seattle Seahawks, and is now currently trying to resurrect the Las Vegas Raiders.

Smith rebounded nicely from the broken jaw that threatened to end his career.

“They wrote me off, I didn’t write back though!” Smith later said.