When the New York Giants – then under general manager Jerry Reese and head coach Ben McAdoo – benched Eli Manning late in the season, it caused an uproar. And when Geno Smith, not Davis Webb, was ultimately named the team’s starter, the uproar intensified.

While most would agree the Giants needed to get a look at their backup quarterbacks in the midst of a 3-13 season, the overriding belief was that it was more beneficial to get Webb some snaps over Smith.

McAdoo did not necessarily agree with that theory and stuck with it on his way out the door.

On Monday, Smith told the New York Daily News that after his termination, McAdoo came to the veteran quarterback and told him he deserved to start for the remainder of the season in place of Eli Manning.

“When Coach Mac was let go and left the building, I talked to him before he left, and he had told me he felt like I deserved to play the rest of the season,” Smith said. “He believed in me. A lot of people did. Guys wanted me to do well. But there are some things that are out of your control.

“I’m not gonna cry over spilled milk, over things I can’t control. That’s only gonna hinder my success or progress. It just added fuel to fire, made my offseason workouts interesting because I’m working harder. That opportunity was taken away from me for whatever reason, so every time I step on the field or in weight room, that’s my motivation.”

Following Smith’s only start, a Week 13 loss to the Oakland Raiders that featured two turnovers, Giants ownership decided to pull the plug on not just McAdoo, but Reese as well. And after instituting Steve Spagnuolo as the interim head coach, the decision was made to send the erratic Smith back to the bench and return Manning to his post.

The decision obviously didn’t sit well with Smith, but it was ultimately the right one to make. Manning still gave the Giants their best chance to win, and even if they were looking to evaluate their depth, it made little sense to give Smith the starts.

Expected to become an unrestricted free agent on March 14, Smith now has the opportunity to go out and find himself a new home, a new job and a chance to prove McAdoo correct. Just not with the New York Football Giants.