The tension inside Allegiant Stadium was tight from the start, and it only grew heavier once the final whistle hit. The Las Vegas Raiders had just taken a 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Soon after, Geno Smith fired back with an obscene gesture that spread online in seconds. So, a Raiders legend stepped in and decided to address it.

Derek Carr broke it down on his podcast and kept it straight.

“I can’t support it… but I can understand it,” he said. “The frustrations building all felt that way… can’t support it… If it was to the Raider fan, I hope he apologizes. but I understand.”

For the next three days, that clip played on every screen. It fueled debates about pressure, accountability, and the messy stretch the Raiders are stuck in right now. And finally, Geno Smith stepped forward. He admitted the gesture was wrong. He called it “a poor decision” and said he owed fans better.

“I made a poor judgment out of frustration. That’s not an excuse. I’ve got to be better than that, and I’ve got to hold myself to a higher standard. In that moment, I didn’t. I’m sincerely apologetic, and I’m very sorry, obviously, for doing that. I just want to make it known that those things will never happen to me again.”

Now Smith faces a longer battle. He has struggled all year during his first season with the Silver and Black, and this moment felt like his frustrations spilling over. Sunday’s loss to Cleveland, the one that triggered Chip Kelly’s firing, marked their fifth straight defeat as the Raiders dropped to 2-9.

And for Smith, the pressure is only growing as Sin City watches every move.

Will Geno Smith get punishment?

If the Raiders or the league were planning to suspend Geno Smith for the gesture, the news would already be out. So it feels more likely he gets a fine instead. This is his second incident with fans this season, and that alone could push the number higher. The league usually hits repeat offenders harder, and Smith might feel that.

And the NFL has never liked players mixing it up with fans, and this situation fits that pattern. Smith is 35 and knows the league well. He has been through enough seasons to avoid moments like this. And the Raider Nation is tough, loud, and never shy. So that makes the situation tougher.

Smith has a passer rating of 82.4 with 2,367 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 11 games this season.

However, Smith has shown before that he can steady an offense when things fall apart. He has the tools. But this run might be the last shot he has as a full-time starter. The Silver and Black signed him to a two-year extension in the offseason, which keeps him under control until 2027.

So unless his play jumps fast, the road ahead will get even tougher.