Geno Smith denies he owed IK Enemkpali money

No one was surprised, least of all Geno Smith.

The Jets quarterback said Tuesday he wasn't fazed by Rex Ryan's decision to make IK Enemkpali, the former teammate who broke Smith's jaw during training camp, a captain for Thursday night's Bills-Jets game.

"I don't know why you guys are surprised. I really don't,'' Smith said after practice. "I don't think you are surprised. No one should be surprised.''

After the crowd left his locker, Smith dropped a surprising detail that may change the narrative about the incident. "I didn't owe him,'' he told Newsday, refuting reports that their argument stemmed from his refusal to pay Enemkpali $600 he owed. "No. That's the biggest misconception in America.''

It was widely reported that Enemkpali was upset because he had paid for a plane ticket for Smith to attend his July 11 football camp in his hometown of Pflugerville, Texas. Smith didn't show up because of a personal matter, and resentment lingered the longer the debt went unpaid. Tempers flared Aug. 11 when Enemkpali reportedly "demanded'' that Smith give him his refund.

But Tuesday, in the midst of all the captain chatter, Smith denied there is a debt. Asked why he never set the record straight before, he said: "Because I don't make statements. I don't owe anybody anything.''

He did not elaborate. Instead, he reiterated he didn't feel the need to shed light on the details about the root of the issue between him and Enemkpali.

"It's nothing that has to be explained. The story's already written,'' Smith said. "I'm not here to make statements about that. I'm really not. I'm more focused on football. I have a normal life that I live. I'm not worried about IK.''

Enempkali apologized after the Bills signed him in August, saying "it never should have happened," but hasn't said why he hit Smith. Asked Monday whether he has been in touch with Smith since he left the Jets, he said, "Next question."

In another exclusive interview two months ago, Smith expressed irritation over losing his starting job to Ryan Fitzpatrick after jaw surgery.

"I'm extremely [ticked],'' Smith told Newsday on Sept. 16. "But I have to keep my temper down . . . If I was playing bad and got benched, that's on me. But for something like that to happen, it's like . . . What can you do? You've just got to weather the storm and move on from there.''

On Tuesday, he made it clear he's still very angry about the incident. "I can't play. That's why I'm upset,'' said Smith, whose one appearance this season came as a result of Fitzpatrick's thumb injury early in a Week 8 loss at Oakland.

Smith said he has no regrets. "If you can go back and do things different, yeah, I might have just not been in the locker room during that time,'' he said, laughing. "But other than that . . . ''

As mad as Smith is about his situation, he said he has no ill feelings for Enemkpali or Ryan.

"I mean, how can I feel some type of way about somebody else's decision?'' he said, referencing Enemkpali's being front and center for Thursday night's coin toss. "You've got to know this business. He's the Bills' head coach. I don't hate anyone. I don't hate him, I don't hate IK. It's whatever to me, honestly. It's like 'OK? Big deal.'

"I don't care who's a captain or coaching what. If there was some type of shot that was supposed to be [aimed at me], I didn't get that message.''