Geno Smith Says He Wants to Finish Career with Seahawks amid Contract Rumors

Despite falling to the San Francisco 49ers 41-23 in the Wild Card Round on Saturday, Geno Smith had a fantastic first season as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, and he hopes to stay with the franchise through the remainder of his career.

"I wanna finish my career in Seattle. I wanna be here," Smith said after Saturday's loss. "The town, the city, the team, coach Carroll, the organization, they all embraced me. I was a guy who probably could've been out of the league. They embraced me, and I wanna repay them for that."

Smith added:

"What I see for this team is a team with a bright future. You know, a lot of guys, a lot of young guys on this team, got a lot of experience. First playoff game. It was my first playoff start. So, we've got a long ways to go. I'm excited about the future. I know we can be a lot better, and it's just gonna take a lot of commitment, and so I'm in it for the long haul. I'm ready to go."

Smith is set to become a free agent this offseason, though NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that the Seahawks would try to lock him up before he becomes available on the open market on March 15.

If Smith and the Seahawks are unable to come to terms, Seattle would be open to placing the $30-plus million franchise tag on him in 2023.

After trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2022 campaign, Seattle's outlook looked bleak, but Smith came in and performed above expectations after winning the starting job over Drew Lock.

The 32-year-old earned his first-ever Pro Bowl selection after completing 69.8 percent of his passes for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 17 games. He also rushed for 366 yards and one score.

Seattle went 9-8 with Smith under center and earned a playoff berth for the first time since the 2020 season.

Before joining the Seahawks, Smith played for the New York Jets, New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers. He hadn't been a starter since his second season in the league in 2014.

That said, he should receive a sizable new deal, whether it be in Seattle or elsewhere, but it's likely not going to be anything over the top.