What new Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak said about Geno Smith’s game

There has been a lot of speculation regarding the future of the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. The club’s new offensive coordinator is certainly in Geno Smith’s corner.

Dec 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Byron Cowart (93) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images / Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

If it’s the Seattle Seahawks, it means the team has a new offensive coordinator…again.

For the third time in as many years, the club has made a staffing change on that side of the ball. Shane Waldron held the role for three years (2021-23), and Ryan Grubb took over in 2024. Now Klint Kubiak inherits the job, under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald.

The Seahawks finished 14th in the league in total yards per game in ‘24, but only four teams in the NFL gained fewer yards rushing. Macdonald’s club had their issues with taking care of the football, committing 24 turnovers—seven more than the previous season. Quarterback Geno Smith had 15 of those miscues, all interceptions.

Speaking of Seattle’s starting signal-caller, Kubiak offered his opinion on the 11-year veteran on Tuesday.

"I think Geno is tough as nails... that fires me up."

Kubiak on Geno Smith pic.twitter.com/Ya5g9bXxUE

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) February 11, 2025

“I think Geno is tough as nails. You look at the guy in the fourth quarter, and he goes and wins football games. That excites me, that fires me up. I’ve watched his career, studying it more now than I ever have before, but you think about a guy who has 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 starter’s role. Then he comes back the last two years and wins more games in the fourth quarter than anybody in the NFL. That’s a guy I want to coach.”

Smith, who has been with the franchise since 2020, and has been the team’s main man behind center for three consecutive seasons, has seen him numbers dip these last two years. He was the 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2022, leading the ‘Hawks to a wild card berth. He connected on 69.8 percent of his passes, and had twice as many TD passes (30) as turnovers (15, including 11 interceptions).

In Smith’s last 32 outings since 2023, he’s combined for 41 touchdown passes, but has turned over the ball a disappointing 27 times—including some devastating mistakes in the red zone. In 2024, he was sacked 50 times. There’s a new quarterbacks coach (Andrew Janocko) and new offensive line coach (John Benton), both who coached with Kubiak this past season when he was the Saints’ offensive coordinator.

Getting that offensive front figured out may wind up being the biggest challenge in Smith cutting back on those costly miscues.