'He Kept Fighting': Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith Still Won't Write Back in 2024

Already proclaimed the starter for the Seahawks upcoming season, could Geno Smith's best campaign yet come while operating Ryan Grubb's offense?

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) reacts after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith may be the team’s most polarizing player. Adored by many in the fanbase and abhorred by others, mostly by those arguing he will never be a long-term starting quarterback option at 33 years old, his status beyond 2024 remains in question.

But regardless of which side you’re on, one element isn’t up for debate: Smith’s rise from “draft bust” to average starter, at worst, is one of the best stories in football in at least the last decade. Trent Kirchner, Seattle’s vice president of player personnel who helped sign him back in 2019, agrees.

“Geno is responsible for a lot of his success because he’s put in the work,” Kirchner said on the Locked On Seahawks Podcast. “He was essentially written off early on after getting some starts early in his career.”

After being selected 39th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft, Smith combined to throw 25 touchdown passes and 34 interceptions in just under two full seasons starting for the New York Jets. Two years, multiple benchings, and a torn ACL later, Smith was not retained by the Jets and found himself in quarterback purgatory.

Smith played on one-year contracts with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers from 2017–18 before landing with the Seahawks in 2019. After limited snaps with those two teams, he made three starts in place of an injured Russell Wilson in 2021, completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 702 yards and tossing five touchdowns to one interception.

“He didn’t have an ego; he kept fighting,” Kirchner added. “He kept battling, continued to mature and gain knowledge on the game, and just see more reps … every practice rep was a game rep for Geno for a number of years when he didn’t see the field a whole bunch.”

Over the last two seasons as a full-time starter, Smith ranks fourth among all quarterbacks in completion percentage (67.4), fifth in touchdown passes (50), sixth in passing yards (7,906), and ninth in passer rating (96.8). He capped off a breakout year by winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2022 and was a Pro Bowler in each of the last two seasons as Wilson's replacement under center.

On the flipside, Smith has also thrown the ninth-most interceptions over that span with 20 and has been sacked the third-most times at 77. However, Smith was pressured on 40.3 percent of his drop backs last season, per Pro Football Focus, to rank sixth among quarterbacks with at least 400 total drop backs. When kept in a clean pocket, Smith was PFF’s fifth-highest-graded passer with a 91.9 grade.

Seattle opted not to draft a quarterback in the 2024 Draft and instead traded for former Washington Commanders starter Sam Howell in March. Howell, 23, is younger than many of the college prospects the Seahawks would have been evaluating and already had 18 NFL starts under his belt.

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws a pass against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Despite that acquisition, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald in particular has remained steadfast in declaring Smith Seattle’s starter — at least for 2024. Smith will also be given a chance to flourish in first-time NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s innovative, explosive offense that took the FBS by storm during his time at Washington, culminating in a National Championship appearance last season.

Better yet, Smith's skill set, particularly on deep passing accuracy, resembles Michael Penix Jr., who operated Grubb's offensive to perfection at Washington. Smith made 32 big-time throws (accurate passes at least 20 yards downfield in tight windows) in 2023 to rank seventh in the NFL, per PFF.

“I think that there is a really good marriage there with some of the skill set that Geno has,” Grubb said during a post-OTA press conference on Monday, June 3. “We asked our quarterbacks to do a lot [at Washington]. Luckily for us, Geno's really athletic as well. We don't have to limit it to just drop back. I think he's really good in the play-action game as well, which will be a big part of our offense. I think for us, it's not just the five step all the time, but I do think that Geno is really good at getting the ball out on time, very efficient with the football, which he obviously showed '22 to lead the league in completion percentage.”

With veteran wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett still in the fold alongside budding star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Smith could be primed to add to his unlikely legacy this season. A re-made, hopefully improved offensive line could contribute to that as well by buying him more time in the pocket to dice up opposing secondaries.

“I think a lot of the credit goes to Geno … it’s that mental toughness,” Kirchner said. “It’s the ability to fight through difficult challenges in life, and he’s come out on the right side.”