Geno Smith’s ascension from Russell Wilson’s backup quarterback to full-time Seattle Seahawks starter didn’t happen overnight. Star wide receiver DK Metcalf was there to witness every step of that rise — including a key moment that solidified Smith’s stature in the Seahawks’ locker room last season.
Metcalf made a recent appearance on “Getcha Popcorn Ready with T.O. & Hatch.” He was asked by Terrell Owens about the expectations surrounding Smith and how the QB managed to fill the void left by Wilson (23:08 mark).
The star wideout revealed that his initial assumption was for Smith to emulate Wilson after the two had shared the QB room for three seasons. Instead, a switch seemingly flipped for Smith, who locked in as a veteran leader in a way Metcalf had never seen prior to Wilson’s exit from Seattle. After watching Smith coast during most of his time as a backup, Metcalf saw a “different Geno” that emerged entering last season.
It all culminated during one moment that Metcalf believes cemented Smith’s place as the Seahawks’ vocal leader.
“Week 8, [Smith] gave us a pregame speech and you could just see everybody is just locked in on him because they had seen how much he’s matured and changed. He wasn’t the same Geno. He was like, ‘this is my team now. Y’all are going to listen. I’ve put in the work and I’ve put in the time to where I have stapled my name in Seattle.’ And everybody just started to respect him.”
The Seahawks scored a resounding 27-13 victory over the New York Giants in Week 8 after Smith’s aforementioned pregame speech. That win became the Seahawks' fourth in five games and kept them firmly in the playoff race midway through the 2022 campaign.
Smith was named Comeback Player of the Year and secured the first Pro Bowl appearance of his career after leading the Seahawks to a surprising postseason berth. The standout season landed Smith a three-year, $105 million extension in March.
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