HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Raiders quarterback Geno Smith apologized Wednesday for making an obscene gesture toward fans as he left the field following Las Vegas' 24-10 loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
He was sacked 10 times in that game and booed throughout, including during pregame introductions.
That was the Raiders' fifth straight loss, dropping them to 2-9.
“I made a poor judgment out of frustration, and that’s not an excuse,” Smith said. "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 very sorry, obviously, for doing that. I just want to make it known that those things will never happen for me again.”
This is the second time, however, Smith has done that this year. He made the same gesture before a preseason game in Seattle at a fan who held up a sign comparing him to former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, one of the biggest busts in franchise history.
Coach Pete Carroll, when later asked about that incident, said, “Did you see the sign?”
The Raiders issued a statement Monday that they had discussed the issue with Smith.
“We hold the Raider Nation in the highest regard and take this matter seriously," the statement said.
Smith will be working with a new offensive coordinator and play-caller Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers. Quarterbacks coach Greg Olson takes over on an interim basis for Chip Kelly, who was fired hours after the loss to the Browns.
Kelly was Oregon's coach when he recruited Smith out of high school. Smith wound up playing at West Virginia
Smith was a sophomore in high school when he met Kelly.
“I’ve always thought highly of Chip,” Smith said. "I’ve always thought he’s had a great football mind, and I thought if we made more plays, if we’d executed better, I think things would be different. I really feel for Chip, I do. I’ve developed a great relationship with him through the time of knowing him, and I always wish him the best, and I’ll always believe in him. ... I wish I could have done better for him.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) sacks Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) forces Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) to fumble during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has chosen Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's head of military intelligence, as his new chief of staff, a move that comes at an especially critical moment in Russia's nearly 4-year-old invasion.
Budanov replaces Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy’s longtime right-hand man who resigned in November after anti-corruption officials raided his apartment in an investigation into alleged graft in Ukraine's energy sector. The move against the powerful aide was a blow to the president that risked disrupting his negotiating strategy amid a U.S. peace effort.
What to know about Budanov:
Budanov has led the military intelligence agency, known by its acronym GUR, since 2020. At 39, he is one of Ukraine's most recognizable and popular wartime figures, known for being the architect of many successful operations targeting Russian military assets, as well as for his independent and enigmatic personality.
A career military intelligence officer, Budanov brings battlefield knowledge to his new position.
He rose through the defense establishment after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. He also took part in special operations and intelligence missions linked to the fighting with Moscow-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine and Crimea before the full-scale invasion of February 2022. He reportedly was wounded during one such operation.
Since that invasion, Budanov has become a prominent face of Kyiv’s intelligence effort, appearing regularly in interviews and briefings that mix strategic signaling with psychological pressure on Russia. He has warned frequently of Moscow’s long-term intentions toward Ukraine and the region, portraying the war as an existential struggle for the country’s statehood.
Under Budanov, the GUR expanded its footprint, coordinating intelligence, sabotage and special operations aimed at degrading Russia's military capabilities far beyond the front lines.
Officials have credited the military intelligence service with operations targeting Russian command structures, logistics hubs, energy infrastructure and naval assets, including attacks deep inside Russian territory and occupied areas of Ukraine.
Budanov’s role and public status has made him a target. He reportedly has survived multiple assassination attempts by the Russian security services. In November 2023, his wife, Marianna, was hospitalized in Kyiv with heavy metals poisoning.
His appointment to lead the presidential administration signals a shift at the heart of government to prioritize foreign policy, defense and security amid the intensifying diplomatic efforts to end Russia's invasion. Zelenskyy says a peace deal is “90% ready” but warned that the remaining 10% — believed to include key issues such as territory — would “determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe."
Budanov served as part of the delegation that worked with the U.S. negotiating team. He also has had contact with the Russian side on issues such as coordinating prisoner exchanges. It’s not yet clear what role, if any, he will take in the peace process in his new position.
In his first comments after the appointment was announced, Budanov thanked Zelenskyy for his trust.
“I continue to serve Ukraine,” he wrote on his Telegram page. "For me, it is both an honor and a responsibility — at a historic time for Ukraine — to focus on the critically important issues of the state’s strategic security.”
FILE - Ukraine's military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov visits the Muslim Center for an Iftar dinner during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, center, attends a commemorative event on the occasion of the Russia Ukraine war one year anniversary in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2023. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP, File)
FILE - Ukraine's military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov speaks during press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
