Seattle Seahawks

Byron Murphy II has had a solid rookie season for the Seattle Seahawks, but his play on the field didn't excuse him from paying his rookie dues.

The defensive tackle had to pay a $38,000 dinner tab for his teammates, though the restaurant and his teammates first tricked him into thinking that he owed $155,000 for the meal. In a video of Murphy getting the check, he was clearly shocked by what he thought was going to be a hefty bill.

While a $38,000 dinner is not cheap by any means, it's not quite as bad as $155,000 would have been. Murphy, who signed a four-year, $16.083 million rookie deal with the Seahawks, has a base salary of $795,000 this year, so $155,000 is certainly not chump change to him.

If Murphy continues developing and playing well, he could eventually earn a contract that would take the sting out of paying such a hefty check.

The 16th overall pick has totaled 36 tackles and six tackles for loss in 13 games this year. He has the fourth-most tackles among rookie defensive tackles this season and the second-most tackles among defensive tackles on the Seahawks.

Murphy will look to close out his strong rookie season on a positive note as the Seahawks face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

With the Seattle Seahawks securing a win in Week 17, quarterback Geno Smith is shifting his rooting focus to a division rival.

Following Seattle's 6-3 victory on Thursday night against the Chicago Bears, Smith acknowledged that he and the Seahawks will become fans of the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray for the weekend as they prepare for a critical matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

"Honestly, we shouldn't be in this position," Smith said, per Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk. "That's the main thing. Understanding that we got to control our destiny when we can, yeah, I'm going to be a big Kyler Murray fan on Saturday. If they get it done, they get it done."

The Seahawks remain alive in the playoff hunt at 9-7 and the clearest path to the postseason is winning the NFC West. The Rams are also seeking that bid and head into Week 17 at 9-6 and could clinch the division if they win some matchups around the league go their way

If the Rams lose in Week 17, it will set up a winner-take-all matchup in Week 18 between the two teams. Los Angeles took the first matchup between the two teams on Nov. 3 but that was an overtime matchup, so the two teams could be in line for an instant classic.

However, the results of Week 17 will determine how much that season finale has at stake, so Smith and the Seahawks will hope Murray and the Cardinals can do a solid for a division rival.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba credited the Seattle Seahawks' defense with keeping the team's playoff hopes alive after holding Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears to just three points in Week 17.

Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks won 6-3 on Thursday night in the second NFL game of the season to not feature a touchdown.

"Those guys won us the game today," Smith-Njigba said after the Bears' 6-3 win (h/t The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar.) "They played their guts out. They dominated.

"Without them, shoot, we'd be sad as hell right now. But they came through for us."

The Seahawks defense racked up seven sacks on Williams as the Bears quarterback was held without a single pass over six yards downfield until the final drive of the game (h/t Next Gen Stats.)

The Chicago offense finally gained some momentum on that final drive when Williams fired a 15-yard throw to Rome Odunze with just over one minute left on the clock, but Tariq Woolen picked off his next pass to seal Seattle's victory.

The Seahawks offense also struggled on Thursday night, finishing the game with 265 total yards of offense and two field goals in their lowest-scoring game of the season.

Smith-Njigba meanwhile finished the game with three catches for 32 yards in one of his least productive games of the campaign.

Defensive coordinator Aden Durde's unit shone on the other side of the ball with sacks from six different defenders, led by two from Leonard Williams. The outing marked the third time in six games Williams has recorded multiple sacks to help Seattle stay competitive amid Geno Smith's struggles under center.

The Seahawks still need to win the NFC West to make the postseason, but defeating the Bears lowered the odds that the Los Angeles Rams could eliminate them from playoff contention this weekend with a win over the Arizona Cardinals.

A Rams victory on Saturday can still knock the Seahawks out of the playoff picture, but only if combined with at least three wins and a tie from the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Commanders, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns (h/t NFL Playoff Scenarios.)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf gave his thoughts on the physical altercation that occurred between himself and Chicago Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson on Thursday.

"I'm a grown man," Metcalf said, via NFL Network's Jane Slater. "My emotions are in check. Like I said, it's a physical game out there. Especially when I'm out there. I'm gonna test the DB."

In the second quarter of Seattle's 6-3 win over Chicago, Metcalf and Stevenson continued to exchange shoves after they were engaged in a block before the receiver appeared to head-butt his opponent.

Metcalf was given an unnecessary roughness penalty for the incident.

He finished the game with three catches for 42 yards. Stevenson recorded three tackles.

The two-time Pro Bowl receiver has previously struggled to keep his emotions in check, as he was fined on five separate occasions during the 2023 season for reasons that included unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct and blindside block violations (via Spotrac).

While Metcalf has done a better job in 2024, he also received a $11,255 fine for unnecessary roughness during Seattle's 29-20 loss to the New York Giants in Week 5.

Entering Sunday's action, the 27-year-old hauled in 60 receptions for 897 yards and four touchdowns.

The Seattle Seahawks will enter a crucial end to the season without their top tailback.

Brady Henderson of ESPN reported that the Seahawks had placed running back Kenneth Walker III on injured reserve, which means he is gone for at least four games.

Walker exited Seattle's Week 16 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings with an ankle injury. He did not return in the 27-24 loss and has been listed as a non-participant in practice this week.

Walker has 153 carries for 573 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games in 2024. He has dealt with an oblique injury and a calf injury this season and had missed a total of four games prior to the latest injury. He is currently Seattle's leading rusher.

His absence will be felt as the Seahawks are 8-7 and fighting for the NFC West Division title with the Los Angeles Rams. They will need some help to overtake the Rams but not having Walker available will impact the run game and cause the offense to rely on backup Zach Charbonnet to carry the load.

Other depth running back options for Seattle will be Kenny McIntosh and the recently elevated George Holani. The Seahawks face the Chicago Bears in Week 17 before a matchup against the Rams in Week 18.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has officially been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against the Chicago Bears with an ankle injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The third-year running back suffered the injury during Sunday's 27-24 loss against Minnesota Vikings.

Walker returned on Sunday after missing two games with a calf injury.

When healthy, Walker has had a somewhat disappointing season, accumulating 573 rushing yards and seven scores while adding 46 catches for 266 yards and a touchdown.

He's steadily seen his rushing production decrease in his NFL career, going from 1,050 yards in his 2022 rookie season to 905 in 2023. He'll finish short of both marks in 2024.

It's a tough blow for an 8-7 Seahawks team that is battling for both an NFC West title and a playoff berth, with matchups against the Bears and Los Angeles Rams (9-6) remaining. Win out, and Seattle has a chance to win the division, though they don't control their own destiny. The Seahawks could also reach the postseason with a loss against the Bears but a win over the Rams if Los Angeles loses both of its final two games, which would give Seattle the better division record.

"The destiny is out of (our) hands right now, and that stings," head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters this week. "But we've got a lot to play for, still. Like we were talking about this morning with our staff, we're just going to keep hammering away, until this thing cracks."

A Wild Card berth is virtually out of the question, meanwhile, with the Washington Commanders (10-5) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) both ahead of the Seahawks for the final available seed.

The good news for the Seahawks is that running back Zach Charbonnet was listed as a full participant in Tuesday's injury report. He'll be the featured back against Chicago as the Seahawks look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has had his share of ups and downs this year for an 8-7 team whose season is on the brink after a 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday.

However, one defensive coach complimented Smith while giving remarks to Jeff Howe for The Athletic's latest NFL quarterback power rankings, noting how he keeps the team competitive, which isn't a luxury other franchises have with their signal-callers right now.

"I personally believe he does give them a chance every game, and that's more than a chunk of teams can say right now," the defensive coach told The Athletic. "Geno's season has been full of peaks and valleys. He can spin the football. He's a good athlete for the position. But the inconsistency of accuracy and decision-making will always be where the valleys exist for him.

"They can't run the ball, and even though he has a plus supporting cast, the more throws they ask him to make in a game, the more it's going to go the other way. It's just a fact. The red area turnovers have been brutal. But he is streaky, and the peaks can convince someone that he belongs."

Smith has enjoyed an impressive career renaissance with the Seahawks beginning in 2022 after largely serving as a backup for the first nine years of his career for four different teams. He won NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022 after taking the Seahawks starter job, throwing for 30 touchdowns and completing an NFL-high 69.8 percent of his passes. Seattle went 9-8, good enough for a NFC playoff spot.

Smith regressed a bit in 2023, but the Seahawks still went over .500 at 9-8. That wasn't good enough for the playoffs this time around, but the team still had playoff expectations in 2024 under new head coach Mike Macdonald.

It's been a streaky year in Seattle (3-0, then 4-5, then 8-5 and now 8-7). It's been the same way for Smith, who's completed over 70 percent of his passes but sit second in the NFL with 15 interceptions. He's ultimately performed well overall and currently sits 15th in the aforementioned QB rankings.

As the coach said, though, Smith gives the Seahawks a chance to win every week. A lot of QB-hungry teams mired at the bottom of the standings can't say the same right now, and their seasons were over before Thanksgiving.

Seattle remains alive. Smith and the Seahawks have the 4-11 Chicago Bears on the road next on Thursday evening.

Despite exiting the Seattle Seahawks' matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday due to a knee injury, quarterback Geno Smith could be ready to go for next week's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.

Head coach Mike Macdonald said Smith will practice this week and is optimistic he can play on Sunday.

"We're fortunate," Macdonald said, per ESPN's Brady Henderson. "A lot of positive, optimistic signs coming out of the tests. Geno's a beast, man. He's in here working out in the morning, working through it. I know he's still feeling it, but this guy's tough as nails and hopefully, we'll see him practice throughout the week with [optimism] in him being ready for the game."

After the loss and Smith's exit, Macdonald clarified that there was no structural damage to Smith's knee and praised his quarterback's toughness.

"I'll tell you this, this guy is probably the toughest player I've ever been around," Macdonald said, per Henderson. "It was severe enough for him not to come back in the game. We'll do all the tests tomorrow and kind of figure it out as we go. But right now, structurally it looks like it's OK, but we've got to get it imaged and all that stuff."

The injury occurred in the third quarter when Smith took a hit from linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. After being listed as questionable to return, he appeared to be getting ready to come in the game but never did.

He finished with 149 passing yards and an interception on 15-of-19 passing. Sam Howell, his replacement, struggled in his third appearance of the season, completing five of his 14 pass attempts for 24 yards and an interception.

The Seahawks fell to 8-6 with the loss and dropped to eighth place in the NFC, out of the playoff picture if the season ended this week. Things don't get easier this week as they take on the Vikings.

Seattle can lose its matchup against Minnesota and still make the playoffs, though it would likely need to win its final two games against the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. Having Smith back on the field for the final stretch would be instrumental.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald called quarterback Geno Smith "probably the toughest player I've ever been around" after Smith left Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers with a knee injury.

"It was severe enough for him not to come back in the game," Macdonald said. "We'll do all the tests tomorrow and kind of figure it out as we go. But right now, structurally it looks like it's OK, but we've got to get it imaged and all that stuff."

In the third quarter, Smith landed awkwardly after throwing the ball and attempting to avoid contact from Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. He was unable to return, with Sam Howell taking over at quarterback.

The Seahawks didn't provide any detail about Smith's injury, only announcing mid-game he was questionable. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the two-time Pro Bowler is scheduled to have additional testing Monday.

Smith's performance has steadily dropped off since his Comeback Player of the Year campaign in 2022. While his 258.8 passing yards per game though 14 games are his second-highest ever, his 13 interceptions are also tied for his second-highest total. His 89.9 passer rating and 52.8 QBR are noticeably below their 2022 equivalents (100.9 and 62.8) as well, per Pro Football Reference.

Sunday was evidence of how badly Seattle will miss the 34-year-old if his knee injury forces him to miss time, though. Howell went 5-of-14 for 24 yards and an interception against Green Bay.

Smith's toughness isn't in question, but nobody can play through a major knee injury if that's what the testing reveals for him.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith suffered a knee injury in the second half following an attempted low sack by the Green Bay defense. The 34-year-old was downgraded to questionable and did not return to the game after being replaced by Sam Howell.

Following the Seahawks 30-13 loss against the Packers, head coach Mike Macdonald commented on the status of Smith's injury.

"Structurally, it looks like it's OK." Smith told reporters.

Macdonald said that Smith wanted to return and was ready to do so before Howell threw an interception with just under six minutes left in the fourth quarter, at which point he was unable to.

"This guy is probably one of the toughest players I've ever been around," Macdonald said. "(It was) severe enough for him not to come back into the game. We'll do all the tests tomorrow and kind of figure out as we go."

It is unclear if Smith will need to miss time, as tests are scheduled to be completed tomorrow.

Smith initially tried to walk off the field under his own power but collapsed, prompting the athletic training staff to assist him off the field.

Before his exit, Smith completed 15-of-19 passes for 149 yards and one interception.

With the Washington Commanders last season, Howell started all 17 games, throwing for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions while posting a 63.4 percent completion rate. He has played in one game for Seattle this season, closing out a 34-14 blowout over the Atlanta Falcons.

Smith has been having a standout season with the 8-5 Seahawks, ranking second in the league with 3,474 passing yards. He has thrown 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while recording a 53.3 quarterback rating.

The 34-year-old former backup to Russell Wilson is now in his third season as the Seahawks' starting quarterback, leading the franchise to a 25-20 record while earning two Pro Bowl selections along the way.