The Seattle Seahawks have their guy for Week 1 and it’s Geno Smith. For the first time since 2011, someone not named Russell Wilson will be the Seahawks’ No. 1 quarterback since Seattle traded him in the offseason to the Denver Broncos. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith #7 looks for an open receiver against the Dallas Cowboys in the first quarter of a Preseason NFL football game at AT&T Stadium on August 26, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images) “He earned it. He earned the job,” Pete Carroll told reporters Friday, via ESPN. Smith backed up Wilson and played in four games due to injuries to the nine-time Pro Bowler and performed well. In his four games, he completed 65 of 95 passes (68.4 percent) for 702 yards and five touchdowns, throwing just one interception. He also had nine carries for 42 yards and a touchdown, playing with a 103.0 rating. Smith, who has been in the league since 2013, has long been the favorite for the gig over Drew Lock, whom the Seahawks acquired along with Noah Fant and three first-round picks in the Wilson trade. “We really put in [Smith] against the competition, and Drew outgunned him all the way…” Carroll said. “But Geno, he knows our stuff and he does it really well and he understands it and he can handle everything we do and he’s good with the football. It will give us the best opportunity to play great football straight away.” Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Geno Smith passes against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Seattle. Smith stepped in while starting quarterback Russell Wilson had a hand injury. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer) BRONCOS SET TO ACQUIRE RUSSELL WILSON FROM SEAHAWKS IN BLOCKBUSTER DEAL: REPORTS Lock also lost the Broncos’ QB competition last year as Teddy Bridgewater won the QB1 spot. Smith was a second-round pick nearly a decade ago by the New York Jets out of West Virginia and never lived up to his stock. After a teammate broke his jaw with a punch in 2015, he was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick, who led Gang Green to a 10-6 record but narrowly missed a playoff appearance that season. Smith spent one season as Eli Manning’s backup with the New York Giants (before inexplicably starting one game and ending Manning’s Iron Man streak) and spent the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Chargers. Seattle Seahawks linebacker Geno Smith before a game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 7, 2021, at Lumen Field in Seattle. (Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Smith is a starter at 13-21. In 45 career games, he has a 58.8 completion percentage, 34 touchdowns and 34 interceptions.
