Sports
Why Geno Smith is settling in for the long haul in Las Vegas
HENDERSON, Nev. — Geno Smith feels at home in Las Vegas. Hailing from Broward County in Florida, the heat and fast-paced lifestyle fit the Raiders’ starting quarterback.
Smith says Seattle, where he spent the previous six seasons as a backup turned starter and a two-time Pro Bowl selection, reminded him of his college football days at West Virginia: slow-paced, with limited sun. Even though he cherished his time with the Seahawks, the 34-year-old acknowledged that his personality never quite meshed with the Pacific Northwest.
“Vegas is perfect for me,” Smith told ESPN. “… Me being a Miami kid, and how I was raised and act, I really didn’t fit the culture [in Seattle].”
Las Vegas — Smith’s fourth team in 11 seasons — has offered more than preferable weather to satisfy his hunger.
For the first time in his career, Smith walked into a new organization as Plan A at quarterback.
When Las Vegas traded for Smith from Seattle in exchange for a third-round pick on March 7, it did so with the intention of Smith leading the franchise and providing stability at the most important position on the field. Smith didn’t have to worry about a training camp battle.
“I finally got my team,” said Smith, whose Raiders host the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night (10 p.m. ET, ESPN). “I always felt like I was trying to replace Russell [Wilson in Seattle], and you can never replace all the great things that he did. So I never felt like Seattle was my team.
“Also, I didn’t feel like I fit the aesthetic of the Seattle organization. The Raiders just fit me.”
Smith is a part of the Raiders’ plan to turn around a franchise that has become accustomed to losing, setbacks that have included inconsistent play at quarterback. With Smith under center, there’s optimism within the organization that the team can be competitive this season.
More importantly, Smith’s strong relationship with Pete Carroll and his fiery competitive spirit can help set the tone for the type of culture the veteran NFL coach wants to establish.
“He’s a facilitator in that regard,” Carroll said. “He’s such an all-in guy that there’s no questioning his commitment and conviction, and so that just helps the message embedded even more. [That’s] why he’s so valuable to us.”
SMITH MIGHT HAVE never been in Las Vegas — or Seattle — if not for Carroll.
After making 29 starts in his first two seasons after his selection by the New York Jets in 2013, Smith spent the subsequent five years as a backup for the Jets, Giants and Chargers, making only two starts in seven games played from 2015 to 2018.
Smith was 28 when he went in search of a job in 2019, and says he harbored doubts about his career. He wanted to be a starter again, but his previous history in that role also warranted doubt from others. Smith had gone 11-19 as the Jets starter in 2013-14, throwing for 5,571 yards, 25 touchdowns and 34 interceptions — the third-most picks in the league despite being ranked 19th in pass attempts (810) in that span.
Smith said he believed no one viewed him as a QB1 and wondered what else life might have to offer.
“I’m making money, but I’m not achieving my goals,” Smith recalls of that time. “There was this glass ceiling that was put above me. No matter what [I did], I could only get this far. And so I wanted to do other things outside of football.
“It wasn’t my confidence breaking. I think it was the confidence I had in the evaluators, if anything. I didn’t think they saw my talent or what I could bring to the table.”
While training with former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown and Thad Lewis, the current quarterback coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith surprised the group by talking about various business ideas he wanted to explore.
“I was like, ‘Man, I’m gonna retire from the game and work on something else,'” he recalled.
Brown told Smith he was too young to consider that path and Lewis expressed a similar sentiment, telling Smith, “You’re crazy to retire.”
Smith decided to give football another shot. He eventually signed a one-year deal to become a backup in Seattle, where he realized Carroll believed in him just as much as he believed in himself.
“That led to all of this,” Smith said.
Carroll and Smith established a bond early. The Super Bowl-winning coach admired Smith’s arm talent and how he always prepared as if his name would be called on the next play.
Smith recalled Carroll walking up to him after his first training camp with the Seahawks and saying, “I know what you are. … We got you.”
“I didn’t know what he meant, but at least he recognized that I can play,” Smith said.
As the season went along, Smith liked how Carroll always kept him engaged in team decisions and seemed to value his opinion. Carroll would approach Smith on the sideline during games, asking for his thoughts on certain situations.
More than anything, Smith respected how Carroll cared about his players, calling him a “real dude.” He said Carroll has always had his players’ best interests at heart, even off the field. Smith mentioned how Carroll occasionally recommended houses to buy while he was in Seattle.
“It’s not a facade,” Smith said. “He would say, ‘Hey, this is a good investment in the offseason.’ … Coaches don’t do that type of stuff. He’s one of the guys, and that’s why I love him so much.”
AFTER THE SEAHAWKS sent Wilson to Denver in a blockbuster move ahead of the 2022 season, Smith beat out Drew Lock for starting duties and didn’t disappoint. He threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, was named AP Comeback Player of the Year and helped the Seahawks reach the postseason with a 9-8 record.
Smith played in 37 games under Carroll and threw for 8,641 yards, 55 touchdowns and 21 interceptions while making two Pro Bowl appearances.
“When he finally got his chance, I might have been his biggest cheerleader because he had waited and deserved it,” Carroll said.
The following season, the Seahawks posted another 9-8 record but missed the playoffs. The organization shook things up, as Carroll was out as the head coach after a 14-year tenure and a pair of Super Bowl appearances.
Smith says he never thought Carroll would leave the Seahawks. And the decision to replace Carroll with Mike Macdonald made Smith question his future with the club.
“Shoot, if they let him go, they let Russell go, the writing is on the wall, you know,” Smith said. “Eventually, they’re going to try to find someone younger, which every team does. I wasn’t mad at that, but it was more so how they were going about it, like, the honesty of it all. I felt like they were trying not to tell me what direction they were going.”
Smith says he wanted to remain in Seattle for the long term even though his biggest supporter was no longer in the building. At the same time, he wanted clarity on his future.
Before the start of the 2024 season, Smith said he had a one-on-one conversation with Seahawks general manager John Schneider about the direction of the organization. Smith expressed a desire for a new deal. He had two years left on the three-year, $75 million contract he signed in March 2023.
“I think that’s a fair question to ask anybody,” Smith said. “They didn’t have a definitive answer. … It was kind of up in the air. And so for me, going into the [2024] season, I was like, ‘OK, well, this may be my last season here.’ I literally had a playlist called ‘The Last Dance.’ I wanted to go out there and give it my all for my teammates.”
Smith helped the Seahawks to a 10-7 record in Year 1 under Macdonald, but they again missed the postseason. Smith completed 70.4% of his passes while throwing for 4,320 yards with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions — third most in the NFL. Four of his interceptions came in the red zone (most in the NFL).
His QBR of 53.8 was 21st in the league and his lowest as Seattle’s full-time starter. He was sacked 50 times (third most).
Smith said there wasn’t much negotiation with Seattle this past offseason. Schneider told reporters in March that the team made an offer to Smith, but it became apparent that a deal wouldn’t materialize.
“It wasn’t a very long negotiation, so as a staff, we had to be prepared to pivot,” Schneider said.
Said Smith: “I felt like I [had] done all I could do. I showed them who I am, and if they wanted to go a different direction, so be it.”
The Seahawks agreed to send Smith to Las Vegas. Three days later, they landed 28-year-old Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100.5 million free agent deal after a career season with the Minnesota Vikings. Seattle used the No. 92 pick, which they received from the Raiders, to draft former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.
Smith said he didn’t think the Raiders would be a possible destination until Carroll arrived.
“When Carroll signed here, I knew he would be coming for me, and it was a matter of time before that happened,” Smith said. “The other options [I had], I kind of took them off the table. I looked at their offers, and they were decent offers, but I wanted to be with Coach Carroll.
Smith and Carroll are the 18th head coach-quarterback duo to serve as head coach and starting quarterback in at least one game together across multiple franchises, and the third such Raiders duo (Dennis Allen and Derek Carr for Las Vegas and the New Orleans Saints; Mike Shanahan and Steve Beuerlein for the Raiders and Denver Broncos).
Carroll said he viewed Smith as an “immediate fix” at quarterback. Before Smith’s arrival, the Raiders had seven quarterbacks start in a game since 2022, including three last season (Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder).
Of his coach, Smith said, “I know what he’s going to bring to the table, and I know that he’s going to mean what he says. That loyalty and honesty mean a lot to me.”
SMITH DIDN’T STUMBLE with his words. After the 34-year-old went 24-of-34 (70.6%) for 362 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his Raiders debut — a 20-13 road win over the New England Patriots in Week 1 — he was asked how he remained confident even after making a mistake.
“I’m me,” he told reporters at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. “I know who I am. I know what I can do.”
In Week 1, Smith threw a touchdown pass on the game’s opening drive before the offense went cold. He threw an interception while attempting to throw to tight end Brock Bowers in double coverage. The Raiders’ next two possessions resulted in a punt, as they went into halftime with a 10-7 deficit.
Smith remained unfazed. He completed 13 of 15 passes for 222 yards and helped his team score 10 unanswered points in the second half to secure a win. He is the third Raiders quarterback in the past 20 years to record at least 350 yards and a completion percentage of 70% in a game, joining Carr (2021) and Carson Palmer (2011).
“Man, I like playing with dogs,” Raiders linebacker Devin White said. “That’s the word to describe him. When anything is on the line, he’s gonna go get it. … He makes this team go.”
Smith’s confidence is his greatest strength. It’s noticeable in his play style. He’s not afraid to take risks, whether it’s throwing downfield or trying to fit the ball through tight windows. Smith’s philosophy is simple: You either make shots or miss them. He wants to give it his all and live with the results.
His confidence also gives him a sense of calm, which allows him to be effective in close games. Since 2022, Smith has recorded 10 fourth-quarter comebacks, including five last season.
“I tell all my coordinators, ‘Man, put the ball in my hands,” Smith said. “I don’t care what play you call, just put the ball in my hands and we’ll make it work.”
Smith has a fiery competitive spirit, and he’s unapologetic about it. He acknowledged being the biggest crybaby after a loss when he played youth football. “My mom still doesn’t get it, but I’m just wired that way,” he said.
Smith gets fired up for the things he’s passionate about. He loves football, and he wants those around him to strive for greatness just as much as he tries to. Smith understands his mentality can turn people off. When he and Carroll were in Seattle, Smith said Carroll knew the moments when he was getting too hot-headed and had to calm him down.
For the most part, Carroll loves it when his players have that fire in them.
“He’s no different than E-Rob [inside linebacker Elandon Roberts] or [defensive end] Maxx [Crosby], those guys. They got the same kind of juice. … We know that sometimes it’s appropriate and sometimes it isn’t, so we just have to work it with the quarterback position. … I want him to be as true to [himself] as he can be.”
In Seattle, he said he felt his personality wasn’t accepted by everybody.
“Not my teammates, but I for sure felt like it rubbed people in the front office the wrong way because of the way I carry myself,” Smith said. “But that’s who I am. I mean, imagine Kobe Bryant. He spoke his mind about how he felt. Those are my idols. … Michael Jordan and guys like that, who were unapologetic about how bad they wanted to win.
“If it rubs somebody the wrong way, good. Those aren’t the people I want to go to war with. I want people who really go die about it because that’s how I am.”
SMITH WILL TURN 35 next month and says he believes he has a good seven years of football left in him.
“My goal is to play 15 to 20 seasons,” Smith said. “I’m on [Year] 12, and I’ll make a decision after [Year] 15 if I want to keep going.”
During the league meetings in March, Carroll said the team acquired Smith with the intention of him playing “a number of years” for the organization. Carroll said he believed the years Smith spent as a backup prevented him from having wear and tear on his body.
At the same time, Smith understands the business of the sport. Smith’s two-year, $75 million contract ties him to the organization through 2028, when he’s 38. He has a cap hit of $40 million in 2025, $26.5 million in 2026 and $39.5 million in 2027. Smith doesn’t have any guaranteed money on the final year of his deal.
“I would love to finish my career here,” Smith said.
Smith has lofty goals for his time in Las Vegas. Like most players, he wants to win the division and a championship. His aspirations for winning might seem like a tall task given the nature of the AFC West. The three other teams in the division won at least 10 games and made postseason appearances in 2024. The Kansas City Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in five appearances over the past six seasons.
Las Vegas, meanwhile, has won at least 10 games and appeared in the postseason only one time in the past eight years. The Raiders haven’t finished first in the division since 2002, when they were based in Oakland.
The Raiders entered this season with a 24.5% chance of making the postseason. But Smith said he doesn’t care about the odds being stacked against them. And he’s not shying away from the tough competition ahead of him.
“They gotta beat us. That’s how I see it,” Smith said. “We’ve got to beat the Chiefs, but they gotta beat us. I’m not afraid to say that because I have confidence in my team and myself.”
Smith says he and the rest of the team have embraced the “us versus the world” mentality. Carroll built his first roster in Las Vegas with players who had something to prove or had been counted out.
Smith perfectly embodies the identity of Carroll’s group. And he’s fine with it.
“I’ve kind of been nobody’s favorite player, but I thrive in that role,” Smith said. “I love being the hunter … the guy who is going out to hunt. If they overlook us, that’s fine. We might just surprise some people, but it won’t be a surprise to us.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has backed Viktor Gyökeres to take his game to another level in the second half of the season.
The 27-year-old has scored just six goals in 19 appearances across all competitions and attracted criticism for his peripheral display in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Wolves.
Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton, Arteta was asked to assess Gyökeres’ first few months at the club following a €73 million ($85.5m) summer move from Sporting Lisbon.
“The level of attention on him hasn’t changed since when he signed to today,” Arteta said. “It is normal. Everybody was so excited to bring a nine into the club. We did it. We brought a player with an incredible goalscoring record who had to adapt to the league. He had no preseason.
“The first few weeks were difficult because physically he wasn’t in his best state and he is a player who needs that like any other player in this league almost to perform at that level. Then he kicked on, he had a really good period and he got injured.
“Now, I saw a lot of positive things in the last two games that he’s done. We need to continue to tweak and understand him a little bit better in certain situations and he needs to do the same. But that’s about time and we have full support for him.”
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Pushed on whether the best was yet to come for Gyökeres, Arteta replied: “I think so, yes. You can imagine the global impact that you are going to have to deal with when you come to a big club and the expectation is as it is.
“But after you have to live it. Living it is always slightly different to your imagination. He is doing it with a lot of desire. His energy level, his commitment is absolutely top and we are all here to help him because we have all been here, we all need time, there are always moments where the strikers score more goals or less goals. We need to be there for him.”
Arteta confirmed Ben White is out for “a few games” with a hamstring injury while Gabriel Magalhães is “pushing hard” for a return to action following a groin problem.
Kai Havertz is also nearing a return from a knee problem but Arteta refused to reveal the target date for his comeback.
“I don’t want to say because especially after such a long time after the rehab, I think we need to be cautious and we need to go really firmly with every step that we take along the way to make sure that when he’s back, he’s back and he’s back for the long term,” Arteta said.
“He’s progressing really well and quite fast in the last few weeks. We are really positive that if everything continues like that in the next training sessions, he’s going to be with us.”
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Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea defended quarterback Diego Pavia after his controversial behavior following the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but noted that Pavia’s actions “sent the wrong message.”
Pavia, 23, finished second behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 record and a Big Ten Championship prior to the College Football Playoff (CFP). The result prompted a less-than-gracious response from Pavia, who posted on social media, “F-ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…..FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws to a receiver during warmups before an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
He was also later pictured at a nightclub with a sign that read, “F— Indiana.
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Pavia later apologized in a lengthy post on social media, but not before being met with widespread backlash.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Lea addressed the situation and attempted to explain Pavia’s thought process.
“I regretted the fact that he put that out there, and I appreciated his apology. This is such an example of the way – I mean, this kid has had an unbelievable career. It’s an amazing story, and he got up until the point where he was reaching a childhood dream, and he fell just short and there’s so much goodness in that.
Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Diego Pavia of the Vanderbilt Commodores poses with the Heisman Memorial Trophy before the 2025 Heisman Trophy Presentation at Marriott Marquis Hotel on Dec. 13, 2025, in New York City. (Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
HEISMAN TROPHY VOTER BLASTS VANDERBILT’S DIEGO PAVIA FOR F-BOMB REMARK IN FIERY COLUMN: ‘PUNK MOVE’
“But the idea that he’s been battling against doubters and feels like he’s constantly having to prove himself, that’s not new to him. But what is always true to Diego is the people in his corner, those that he’s closest with, they have his heart. That’s our program,” Lea continued.
“In a moment where I think he was trying to communicate that, he used words that sent the wrong message, that don’t align with our program, that don’t align with who he is. And we make mistakes.”
Lea’s remarks echoed those of Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee, who said Monday, “We believe in growth and accountability, and we will continue to support Diego as he learns from this moment.”
Heisman Trophy finalist Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia speaks during an NCAA college football news conference before the award ceremony, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
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Pavia will wrap up his collegiate career at the ReliaQuest Bowl where Vanderbilt will face Iowa on Dec. 31.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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THE DAY KYNDAL STOWERS was told she couldn’t play volleyball anymore, she got in her car, silenced her phone, and drove aimlessly around town.
It was the spring of 2024, and she had endured four concussions over eight months on the volleyball court at Baylor, once in a collision with a teammate and three times from getting hit by the ball. “Why does this keep happening?” she asked herself. She figured she would redshirt her sophomore season and give her brain time to heal.
But near the end of the 2024 spring semester, a team doctor summoned Stowers. She thought it was just another checkup. When she arrived, the doctor, a trainer and a member of the university’s compliance department greeted her. They told her that she was being medically retired, and that her tuition would be paid for but her playing days — at Baylor at least — were finished.
She eventually went home to Denton, Texas, and watched the 2024 Final Four on her parents’ couch.
One year later, on Sunday, Stowers stood on the court at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, celebrating her Texas A&M team’s five-set upset over the No. 1 — and previously undefeated — Cornhuskers in the regional finals. She had 25 kills and then found her mom in the crowd and cried. She rarely does that, Tina Stowers said.
But this is a story about the unlikeliest player on the unlikeliest semifinal team in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament, and the moment commanded some emotion. It’s about a sports family supporting her decision to keep playing, and taking the steps necessary to ensure she’s as safe as she can be in an unpredictable arena of high-velocity swings, crashing bodies and flying elbows.
On Thursday, she’ll play for Texas A&M against Pittsburgh in the national semifinals.
“I knew that I wasn’t done,” Stowers said. “How can I be done with something I never got to start?”
THE STOWERS FAMILY knows about the violence of sports. Don Stowers, Kyndal’s dad, played football for New Mexico State in the 1990s, and was invited to the NFL combine. He played in NFL Europe for a year, and before that was a priority undrafted free agent for the Cincinnati Bengals before becoming a preseason cut by the Bengals and Denver Broncos. But he said there’s video of him tackling Emmitt Smith in a preseason game.
He has coached high school football in Texas, and his son, Eli, is a tight end for Vanderbilt. Tina Stowers graduated from Baylor, played beach volleyball for more than a decade, and coached high school and junior college volleyball. She said she never had a concussion in 30-plus years of volleyball, but acknowledges that back then, there were no protocols, and assessments were generally concluded with the term “getting your bell rung.”
But concussions in volleyball aren’t as rare as they might seem. A 2023 study found that volleyball had the highest rate of concussions (4.93 per 10,000 athlete exposures) among limited-contact sports, including softball, swimming/diving and baseball, and a rate higher than men’s basketball, which is considered a high-contact sport. The NCAA has a concussion safety protocol that schools must follow that applies to all sports. It includes immediate removal from a game or practice if a concussion is suspected and continued evaluation by a team physician in the hours and days following the injury.
When Kyndal sustained her first concussion at Baylor during the summer of 2023, before her freshman season, she called her mom. She was annoyed, Tina Stowers said, but otherwise fine. Then came the September game when she dove for a ball and a teammate went airborne and kneed her in the head.
Baylor sat her for 10 days, Tina Stowers said, but about a week after she returned, she looked tired. After an early October game, Tina and Don spoke to the trainers.
“So they were like, ‘You know what? We’re just going to take you out of the gym for a little bit longer,'” Tina Stowers said. “And then she was shagging balls and she got hit by [a serve] probably going 70 mph. Hit her right in the back of the head.”
When Stowers played, she dominated. During her freshman season, she had double-digit kills in 12 of the 14 matches she played. She had 29 kills and 16 digs against SMU; she hit above .450 in three matches and was once named Big 12 offensive player of the week.
But she never played after that Oct. 6 game against Kansas State.
During a spring practice in February 2024, she got hit by a shanked ball. She was diagnosed with her fourth concussion.
Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said the decision to medically retire her was difficult for him and the Stowers family to take.
“Both of us were frustrated about not being able to navigate forward or at least just wait longer and let it work itself out,” he said.
BACK HOME IN Denton, Stowers lifted weights and worked on her speed and explosiveness alongside football players. She served and swatted at volleyballs alone in her club gym. She did Fellowship of Christian Athletes camps, binge-watched some TV series and dog-sat to earn money. Her symptoms waned.
One of the biggest perks of being off for an entire autumn was that she was finally able to see her brother play football for Vanderbilt.
“On the weekends, I was going to all of his games,” she said, “which was really cool because I’ve never been able to do that ever because we’ve both been playing at the same time.”
Her mom lovingly called her “college dropout” during her stay back home.
During the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament, she entered the transfer portal. She wasn’t sure what the market would hold for a 19-year-old outside hitter with an extensive concussion history. She was at church one day when an onslaught of calls and texts hit her phone. It was so intrusive that she had to activate the “Do Not Disturb” feature.
Texas A&M coach Jamie Morrison was among the many reaching out. The Aggies were coming off a 21-8 season that ended with a five-set loss to Wisconsin in the regional semifinals. They were returning a talented roster, but there was room for more. Soon, Stowers visited College Station. Her brother started his football career there before transferring to New Mexico State and then Vanderbilt, so she was familiar with some of the faces and the athletic department’s culture.
“But obviously meeting the volleyball staff and seeing what they were about in their program meant a lot to me,” she said. “So, yeah, fell in love with it and then committed two days later.”
MORRISON SAID HE had two priorities when Stowers arrived. He wanted to give her back the thing she loved — the ability to play volleyball. He said he was also committed to keeping her safe.
Stowers wasn’t just working out during her time away from volleyball. She underwent concussion rehabilitation at the Andrews Institute in Plano, Texas, and received VOMS (Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening), which is a clinical assessment tool.
“When I moved home, I saw a ton of doctors in Dallas,” Stowers said, “a lot of very well-known neuropsychologists. Neurologists. Even some, like, general people, across every board that I could think of because I didn’t want to put myself at risk.
“I mean, my dad played football … my brother is about to go into the NFL. The world of concussions is not foreign to me, and I know obviously what that can lead to. So I didn’t want to put myself at risk by any means. Part of it was like, I want to get all of this evidence that I’m fine to continue playing, but I also want to make sure I’m good.”
She said that eventually, the lingering concussion symptoms she’d experienced at Baylor were gone, and she was cleared to continue playing volleyball by her personal doctors.
“I would never have put my daughter back out on a court if I thought it was not safe for her,” Tina Stowers said. “We definitely got plenty of clearance from a lot of people that know better than I do. And then it just kind of worked out.”
Morrison said A&M’s medical staff pored through all of her medical records, which accounted for about 60 hours of work. One of the conditions he set for Stowers to play was that she wore a Q-Collar, a horseshoe-shaped safety device that is worn around the neck and has been cleared by the FDA.
Dr. Julian Bailes, a renowned neurosurgeon and concussions expert who was part of the research and development of the Q-Collar, said the device has a spring inside that compresses the jugular.
“And what that does,” he said, “it puts a little more blood in the cranium, which reduces the ability of the brain to move or slosh around. …
“If you get hit on the head by any mechanism, if the brain doesn’t move, it doesn’t get injured. It’s the movement of the brain that creates brain injury, whether it’s concussion or, you know, major injury in a car accident or a fall, something like that.”
Though the device, which has become common in the NFL, has its skeptics, most everyone agrees that more research on concussion prevention needs to be done.
Stowers said she has worn the Q-Collar all season, and has been hit in the head occasionally. That’s going to happen to everyone, she said. But she hasn’t sustained another concussion, and doesn’t worry about getting hit in the head.
“I’ve been perfectly fine,” she said.
IT HAS BEEN a busy December for the Stowers family. Eli won the John Mackey Award, which is given to the nation’s top tight end, and the William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors the top scholar-athlete.
The family has jet-setted to New York and Las Vegas for Eli’s awards, then watched Kyndal play in the postseason in between. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what time zone they’re in — or where they are.
Texas A&M came back from two games down last weekend to knock off No. 2-seeded Louisville, then had the gumption to cancel the plans of thousands of Nebraskans who were supposed to flock three hours south to see their undefeated team hoist the trophy.
“Zero surprise to me what she’s doing,” said Baylor’s McGuyre, who has known Stowers since she was in junior high. “I’m really excited for her. My wife was the first to tell her, ‘Hey, if you don’t feel like you’re done playing, go play. You’ll flourish.’
“We were cheering super, super loud in that Nebraska match. Seeing her do what she did just kind of is another sucker punch to the gut a little bit, like, ‘Oh, what if?’ But I think both families still believe there’s a purpose and plan in this life. … I believe in over-comers. I wouldn’t be [talking] if I didn’t believe she’s something special.”
The Stowers family will be there Thursday to watch Kyndal try to do what seemed impossible 12 months ago. And if the Aggies beat Pitt, Eli hopes to make it to Sunday’s championship game.
On Tuesday, Kyndal, who was scrambling to pack for Kansas City, paused for a moment to reflect on the Aggies’ postseason run. She felt as if she fit in seamlessly when she arrived in College Station, that she was around like-minded teammates with the perfect measure of confidence and goofiness.
Nobody has time to worry about the heaviness of the moment.
“[Last year] I was sitting at home on my couch watching all these games being played,” she said.
“I believe that that’s where the Lord had me. And I was like, ‘This is a really cool story. God, if you want me to come out of this, how dope would that be?’ I mean, being medically retired, and now we’re here? It’s surreal.”
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