Why Geno Smith was a ‘huge draw’ for Seahawks OC Kubiak

During his introductory press conference on Tuesday morning, new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak listed a number of factors that enticed him about this particular job in the Pacific Northwest.

Four things we learned from Seahawks OC Kubiak’s press conference

Kubiak mentioned the opportunity to work alongside head coach and defensive guru Mike Macdonald, highlighting how a strong defense can benefit the offense. He mentioned the Seahawks’ skill-position talent, general manager John Schneider and the franchise’s “first-class” reputation.

He also mentioned the opportunity to work with veteran quarterback Geno Smith.

“Geno is a very impressive player,” Kubiak said. “Had a lot of production. Obviously, he’s been doing it for a long time and he’s overcome a lot in his career. I have a lot of respect for Geno. It was a huge draw to come here and be able to get to coach him.”

Kubiak’s praise of Smith is particularly notable given the persistent questions about the 34-year-old quarterback’s long-term future in Seattle.

Smith is signed with the Seahawks through 2025, having inked a three-year, $75 million contract extension in March 2023. But given his reported desire for a new deal and his impending $44.5 million salary-cap hit, the two sides are expected to enter negotiations this offseason on a potential extension that would keep him on pace with the rising QB salary market while also offering cap relief for the team.

If the two sides can’t reach an agreement, there’s been speculation that Seattle could look to trade or release Smith. But after a series of signs in recent days, it seems more likely that the Seahawks intend to move forward with Smith as their QB.

The first signal came on a FOX 13 TV interview last week, when Macdonald gave a strong endorsement for Smith remaining the team’s signal-caller this fall. On Sunday morning, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported the Seahawks appear “all-in” on Smith and that he expects the two sides to renegotiate his contract. On Sunday night, immediately after the Super Bowl, the Seahawks’ social media accounts featured Smith front and center in a photo promoting the 2025 season.

And then came Kubiak’s comments on Tuesday.

“We have high expectations for him,” Kubiak said. “We’re going to push Geno and get the best out of him, and we’ll do that by pushing his teammates as well. It’s not just his show. It’s a team thing, and he’s got to be the head of that.”

‘Tough as nails’

Kubiak, who also interviewed for the Cleveland Browns’ OC job, has worked with a variety of NFL quarterbacks in recent years.

He was Kirk Cousins’ OC and quarterbacks coach with the Minnesota Vikings. He was Russell Wilson’s passing game coordinator and QB coach with the Denver Broncos. He was Brock Purdy’s passing game coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers. And this past season, he coached Derek Carr and backup Spencer Rattler as the New Orleans Saints’ OC.

What stands out to him about Smith?

Kubiak pointed to the resilience Smith has shown during his career resurgence in the Emerald City. He also highlighted Smith’s track record of clutch performances. Smith has eight fourth-quarter comebacks over the past two seasons, which are more than any other quarterback in the league.

“Geno’s as tough as nails,” Kubiak said. “You look at the guy in the fourth quarter and he goes and wins football games. So that excites me and fires me up. … You think about a guy that’s been through a lot of adversity and a guy that’s been knocked off the high horse and had to claw his way back into the starting role.

“And then he comes back in the last two years and wins more games in the fourth quarter than anybody in the NFL. That’s a guy that I want to coach.”

‘A very clear vision’

Smith had a breakout first season as Seattle’s starting QB in 2022 when he led the league in completion rate and ranked seventh in ESPN’s QBR metric. His production dropped a bit in 2023, but he still was an above-average 14th in QBR.

This past season was more of a mixed bag. Smith finished fourth in passing yardage and fifth in completion rate, but threw the third-most interceptions in the league and dropped to 21st in QBR.

However, it’s difficult to truly evaluate Smith’s season without factoring in Seattle’s continued struggles along the offensive line. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith faced the third-highest pressure rate out of 33 qualified quarterbacks this past season. He faced the seventh-highest rate in 2023 and the 13th-highest in 2022.

Smith also had little help from the Seahawks’ 28th-ranked rushing attack, which left him and the offense in far too many obvious passing situations.

With Kubiak’s scheme, the hope is for a more balanced approach. Kubiak hails from the Shanahan coaching tree and runs an offense that’s centered on outside-zone run schemes, play-action passing and an overall philosophy of meshing the run and pass.

On Tuesday, Macdonald was asked how Kubiak’s offensive style could help Smith in particular.

“I think there’s a lot of clarity in what we’re trying to do,” Macdonald said. “There’s a lot of detail. (He’s) kind of lived through all the things that could happen to the quarterback, so it’s very clean in terms of progressions.

“And I think there’s an accountability factor for the whole football team. We’ve all gotta play on the same accord. We have to be in the right spot when we need to be there. The ball needs to be out on time. The protection all works hand in hand. So it’s going to take everybody, but it’s a very clear vision and detailed on how we need to get there.”

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• New Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak describes vision for offense
• The ‘critical’ position in new Seattle Seahawks OC’s scheme
• The Seattle Seahawks’ options to tame their salary cap crunch
• Brock Huard: The Seattle Seahawks’ top two priorities now
• Lefko: Blueprint for Seattle Seahawks lies in Eagles’ Super Bowl win

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