Seattle Seahawks

Veteran offensive tackle Jason Peters has retired from the NFL.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine that the nine-time Pro Bowler accepted a full-time role with the team. He'll be an assistant for vice president of player affairs Mo Kelly.

Peters spent 19 years in the NFL as a player and enjoyed an incredible career for a player who got his first contract as an undrafted free agent. He also switched positions, having played tight end at Arkansas in his final two years there.

The Buffalo Bills first signed Peters in 2004, and he worked his way up from the practice squad. By his fourth season, he made his first Pro Bowl team.

Getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009 is when things really took off for Peters. He was a two-time All-Pro in Philly and established himself as one of the league's best tackles.

While ACL and MCL tears ended his 2017 season after seven games, Peters collected a championship ring when the Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame recognized Peters as one of the four offensive tackles on its All-Decade team for the 2010s.

His last action came with the Seahawks in 2023. With his career winding down, he told The Athletic's Zak Keefer in December 2023 he hadn't mapped out any path for himself in retirement.

"S--t, man," Peters said. "When they kick me out, I'm gonna go fishing."

Maybe he had his fill of angling or whatever pursuits he enjoyed during his year away from the NFL. Peters clearly couldn't stay away for too long.

If his track record as a player is any indication, the 43-year-old will become a mainstay in front offices.

Expect Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks to work through a contract extension this offseason, with the veteran quarterback currently set to be a free agency after the 2025 season.

According to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, "The Seahawks have said nothing to dissuade the impression they're all-in on Smith," adding that the team "likely will address his deal."

An extension could also provide some cap relief in 2025, with Smith set to make $31 million in total (including a $16 million roster bonus) and a cap number at $44.5 million.

The 34-year-old threw for 4,320 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2024, completing 70.4 percent of his passes while taking 50 sacks. The Seahawks went 10-7 and narrowly missed the playoffs, and the team is now 27-22 in Smith's three full seasons as the starting quarterback.

His play, while a bit up-and-down in 2024, has remained strong enough that his head coach, Mike MacDonald, offered him an endorsement on Friday.

"Heck yeah, man. Geno is our quarterback," he told FOX 13's Aaron Levine.

"I don't understand the conversation," he continued. "It's pretty obvious this guy is a heck of a quarterback. He's our quarterback. We love him. Can't wait to go to work with him."

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald expressed his support for Geno Smith to remain the team's starting quarterback moving forward.

"It's pretty obvious this guy is a heck of a quarterback," Macdonald told Fox 13 Seattle's Aaron Levine. "He's our quarterback. We love him. Can't wait to go to work with him."

"And we can win a championship with Geno Smith," he added.

Smith has received Pro Bowl recognition in two of the past three years, helping lead the Seahawks to a playoff appearance during the 2022 season.

Seattle finished 9-8 and 10-7 with Smith under center in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The team narrowly missed the playoffs in both seasons.

In 17 starts during Smith's 2024 campaign, he completed a career-high 70.4 percent of his passes for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns. He struggled with turnovers, as his 15 interceptions were the third-most among all quarterbacks.

Smith improved down the stretch of the season, throwing for 697 yards and seven touchdowns while getting picked off twice over his final three appearances.

He has one season remaining on a three-year, $75 million contract that he signed with Seattle in March 2023 (via Spotrac). Smith's hefty $44.5 million cap hit for the 2025 season can be lowered with a new extension, but it's understandable that the Seahawks may have some concerns regarding a long-term commitment.

It's unknown if the signal-caller will remain as effective compared to past years in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's system. Smith will also be turning 35 years old during the 2025 regular season.

Still, Macdonald has repeatedly backed the passer as Seattle's top option moving forward.

"I want Geno to be here,'' Macdonald said earlier in the offseason, via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. "I think he's a heck of a player. The first thing it always comes back to is what's best for the team. I feel like Geno is the best for the team right now.''

As Smith searches for an extension with the Seahawks, he has the support of his head coach.

The Seattle Seahawks hired former New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as the team's new offensive coordinator on Sunday, the franchise announced.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was first to report the news:

Rapoport noted that Kubiak was Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald's "top choice" to replace Ryan Grubb, who was fired at the end of the regular season.

Kubiak served as the passing game coordinator of the Denver Broncos in 2022 and San Francisco 49ers in 2023 before joining New Orleans prior to the 2024 season.

Kubiak also spent two separate stints on the Minnesota Vikings' coaching staff, which included one year as Minnesota's offensive coordinator in 2021.

The Seahawks conducted an extensive search to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy, as Kubiak was one of several candidates to meet with the team multiple times. Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Vikings assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski also interviewed with Seattle twice, via ESPN's Brady Henderson.

New Orleans' offense looked sharp to open the 2024 season under Kubiak, scoring 91 points and amassing 811 total yards through the first two weeks of the year.

The Saints couldn't maintain that same level of production throughout the season, as their scoring offense finished No. 24 in the NFL with an average of 19.9 points per game.

It's worth noting that New Orleans dealt with injuries to key players on offense, with quarterback Derek Carr as well as wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed all failing to appear in more than 10 games due to their respective health issues.

Kubiak will now take over a Seattle offense that contains several established playmakers including D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker III.

He'll look to help the Seahawks as they attempt to make their playoff return in 2025, missing the postseason in each of the past two years despite finishing with a winning record in both seasons.

Former NFL quarterback and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks' vacant offensive coordinator position recently, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Leftwich previously interviewed for the New England Patriots' head coaching vacancy, however, the Pats hired former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as their new head coach, replacing Jerod Mayo.

The Seahawks' OC opening was created last week when the team fired Ryan Grubb after only one year on the job.

Leftwich, 45, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft out of Marshall, and he went on to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Bucs over the course of his 10-year career.

He broke into coaching in 2016 with the Arizona Cardinals under head coach Bruce Arians, first serving as a coaching intern before becoming quarterbacks coach and then interim offensive coordinator.

Arians brought Leftwich with him to Tampa in 2019, and he spent four years as the Buccaneers' OC.

The Bucs had a top-three scoring offense in the NFL in each of Leftwich's first three seasons, and they won the Super Bowl in 2020 following the arrival of legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

Tampa ranked only 15th in total offense and 25th in scoring in Brady's final season in 2022, though, and Leftwich was fired at the conclusion of the campaign.

Leftwich has been out of coaching for the past two years, but he is back in the mix and may be one of the most experienced candidates available to the Seahawks.

However, Leftwich has some stiff competition for the OC job in the form of Grant Udinski, who served as the Minnesota Vikings' assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach this season.

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Udinski already had a virtual interview with the Seahawks this week, and he will meet with them in person on Friday.

With help from Udinski, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold enjoyed a breakout year in 2024, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for the 14-3 Vikes.

Whoever lands the OC job in Seattle will take over an offense that ranked 14th in total yards and 18th in scoring in 2024.

The Seahawks were only 28th in the league in rushing despite boasting a quality running back duo of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, so it is fair to assume that head coach Mike Macdonald would like to see his next offensive coordinator commit more heavily to the run.

The Seattle Seahawks are reportedly eyeing other NFC coaches in their search for a new offensive coordinator.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday that the Seahawks plan to interview Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown for the position. Pelissero also noted that Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley will interview for the role on Friday.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Seahawks also requested to interview Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Brown began the 2024 season as Chicago's pass game coordinator before being thrust into the offensive coordinator role in November following the firing of Shane Waldron. Later that same month, the Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus and promoted Brown to interim head coach.

Chicago lost 10 straight games before winning its regular-season finale against the NFC North-rival Green Bay Packers to finish the year with a 5-12 record. The way the players continued to play hard for Brown until the very end should bode well for his chances to land a prominent coaching position this offseason.

Fraley has been Detroit's offensive line coach since 2020 and was retained when Dan Campbell was hired as head coach in 2021. Pelissero noted that the former NFL center has been "instrumental" in the Lions' rushing attack that ranked sixth in the NFL this season with 146.4 yards per game.

The Seahawks ranked 28th in the league with 95.7 rushing yards per game, so they surely could use a coach of Fraley's caliber. Seattle fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after just one season in the position under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald.

The Seahawks' 10-7 finish to the 2024 season shows there are promising pieces already in place, so the team needs to shore up its holes on offense if it wants to contend for a playoff spot in 2025.

Geno Smith's contract with the Seattle Seahawks runs through the 2025 season, but his head coach wants him as the team's quarterback beyond just one more year.

"I want Geno to be here," Mike Macdonald said Tuesday, per ESPN's Brady Henderson. "I think he's a heck of a player ... I feel like Geno's the best for the team right now. I'll be involved with it. Ultimately it's not my decision. It's a Seahawks decision, but Geno knows how we feel about him and we love him as our starting quarterback, for sure."

There will surely be contract negotiations this offseason between quarterback and team, although it is somewhat of a tricky situation given his up-and-down play.

On the one hand, Smith completed 70.4 percent of his passes for 4,320 yards. What's more, he directed four game-winning drives throughout the campaign, which is a major reason the Seahawks finished with a winning record at 10-7.

However, he also had an uninspiring 21-to-15 touchdown-to-interception ratio and was just 23rd in the league with a QBR of 53.8, per Pro Football Reference. That 53.8 mark was the lowest of his three seasons as the full-time starter of the Seahawks.

Still, there is plenty to like from Seattle's perspective, including his clear chemistry with second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Ohio State product posted 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns and seemed to elevate himself to the team's No. 1 option even in an offense with D.K. Metcalf.

Keeping Smith under center and allowing him to continue developing with Smith-Njigba could pay dividends down the line.

The quarterback was also a back-to-back Pro Bowler in 2022 and 2023 and led the team to a winning record this season. Had the rest of the NFC not been so strong, he could be preparing for a playoff appearance with a 10-7 record.

Instead, he will eye both the playoffs next season and a contract extension this offseason.

The Seattle Seahawks fell short of the playoffs despite finishing the year with a 10-7 record, and head coach Mike Macdonald decided to make a swift change firing offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after just one year in the role.

The head coach explained the move Monday on Seattle Sports 710 AM (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com):

It's really as simple as, I felt like the direction our offense was going was different than the vision I had for our team, and I felt like it was a necessary decision at this point. Ryan's a heck of a football coach. We did some really great things on offense this year. Geno [Smith] had a bunch of career highs throwing the ball, and we did some really cool situational stuff, I know Jax had a great year. So we did a lot of great things, it's just that my vision for our offense just ultimately was different from where I thought Ryan thought it was going. So we respect the heck out of him, we wish him the best.

Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports first reported the news of the move.

Under Grubb's direction, the Seahawks ranked 14th in total offense this season with 332.2 yards per game and 18th with 22.1 points per game. The team particularly struggled on the ground, ranking 28th with just 95.7 rushing yards per game.

Veteran quarterback Geno Smith threw for a career-high 4,320 yards while completing a career-best 70.4 percent of his passes, but he also threw just 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The latter was his most since he threw 21 picks in his rookie year in 2013 when he was with the New York Jets.

Seattle was tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the best record in the NFC West, but the Rams were awarded the division title based on their strength of victory.

Prior to joining Macdonald's staff in Seattle, Grubb was a longtime assistant at the college level and held offensive coordinator roles with Fresno State and Washington. The 48-year-old was initially expected to follow former Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer when he was hired by Alabama to replace Nick Saban, but he chose to try his hand at coaching in the NFL.

Now, Grubb will be in search of a new job after just one year. He should draw interest from college football teams if he chooses to return to that level.

The Seahawks showed that they have enough pieces to be successful, but they will need the right staff in place to return to the playoffs.

The Seattle Seahawks' 30-25 win over the Los Angeles Rams was potentially a lucrative day at the office for quarterback Geno Smith.

Smith finished 20-of-27 for 223 yards and four touchdowns in the victory and in doing so, he triggered three bonus escalators in his contract worth a collective $6 million.

Per Spotrac, Smith was entitled to receive $2 million apiece if he threw for at least 4,282 yards and completed 69.8 percent of his passes while the Seahawks finished with 10 wins or qualified for the postseason.

All three were secured in Week 18 as the two-time Pro Bowler wrapped up the 2024 season with 4,320 yards through the air and a 70.4 percent completion rate. Seattle, meanwhile, earned a 10-7 record for the year.

Smith did, however, miss out on two other bonuses. He needed to have 30 passing touchdowns and a 100.874 passer rating and fell well short on both accounts (21 touchdowns and a 93.2 QB rating). Hitting all five escalators together would've netted him another $5 million.

ESPN's Brady Henderson provided an important note, though.

As escalator bonuses, the $6 million is added to the $10 million roster bonus Smith will collect on March 16 as long as he's on the roster, and his status may not be a given.

Ahead of the Seahawks' 6-3 win over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 26, The MMQB's Albert Breer reported "the exploding quarterback market does complicate [Smith's] future." Breer added that the player, who's due to become a free agent in 2026 "will be looking for a commitment from the organization this offseason."

Cutting the 34-year-old signal-caller would put a $13.5 million dead money hit on the books for 2025 but save Seattle $31 million.

In that respect, the bonus escalators may actually incentivize the Seahawks a little more to pivot to another quarterback in free agency or through the draft.