Seahawks backup Sam Howell working with standout rookie QB

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell didn't play much this season, and when he did, the results weren't great.

Howell's only real action of the regular season came after Geno Smith suffered an injury in Week 15 against the Green Bay Packers. In roughly a quarter and a half of playing time, Howell completed just five of 14 passes for 24 yards and an interception while taking four sacks. Needless to say, that wasn't his best showing.

Now that the offseason is here, Howell is hard at work as he looks to improve after his first season in Seattle. In doing so, he reunited with an old friend.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell during a game against the Tennessee Titans — Aug 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell (6) signals to his team before a play in the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Casey Gower-Imagn Images | Casey Gower-Imagn Images

Howell was recently seen working out alongside New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in South Carolina with Anthony Boone, a former Duke quarterback who now leads QB Country Charlotte.

#Patriots QB Drake Maye and #Seahawks QB Sam Howell are in South Carolina working with @QBC_Charlotte.

The two former University of North Carolina quarterbacks have been working QBs coach/mentor Anthony Boone for multiple years now.

Offseason work starts now 📈 pic.twitter.com/RqKvgUNaFC
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) February 25, 2025

Both Howell and Maye came out of North Carolina, and were even teammates in 2021. The two are still close, with Howell saying he "couldn't be more proud" of Maye after the Patriots drafted him at No. 3 overall last year.

Maye took the starting job from veteran Jacoby Brissett in Week 5 and managed to put together a decent rookie season for himself, completing 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He even earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl, albeit after several other players ahead of him dropped out.

He obviously still has some work to do, but it's important to note that he had one of the worst, if not the worst supporting cast in the league in his rookie season, so the future should be brighter for him in New England.

Meanwhile, Howell will look to bounce back and prove to the Seahawks that he can be a capable backup to Smith, or whoever ends up starting this fall.

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