Seahawks write Geno Smith a big check after turnaround 2022 season

Smith was the biggest surprise of the 2022 season. The Seahawks' preseason over-under win total was projected at 5.5 games but they went 9-8 instead and reached the postseason. 

A main reason Seattle was expected to have a bad year was due to the team moving on from 10-year starter Russell Wilson and pledging allegiance to journeyman Smith.

He began his career in New York and was perhaps most well-known in NFL circles before this season for getting punched by former Jets teammate IK Enemkpali and suffering a broken jaw during the 2015 preseason. He only started one more game for the organization following that incident.

After another season with the Jets in 2016 ended with Smith tearing his ACL, he bounced around the league, first joining the Giants in 2017, then heading west for the Chargers in 2018. He signed with the Seahawks in 2019 but only threw five passes during his first two years in Seattle.

He started three games as Wilson recovered from a finger injury in 2021 and then won the starting role in competition with former Broncos QB Drew Lock during the 2022 preseason.

We know what happened next.

Smith led the league in completion percentage (69.8%) this past season and threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns and was intercepted on only 1.9% of his attempts. 

He was named the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year, was selected for the Pro Bowl Games and tied for ninth in MVP voting.

Smith took what was likely his final opportunity as an NFL starter and ran away with it, all the way to the bank.