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The Seahawks considered several quarterback options before Sam Darnold.
The Seattle Seahawks appear to be all-in on Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold, but the team considered another option according to the latest NFL rumors. ESPN’s Brady Henderson conducted a deep dive on the Seahawks’ decision to move on from Geno Smith to Darnold during the 2025 offseason.
Seahawks fans may be pleased that one potential controversial move for a 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback did not happen. The Seahawks considered signing Aaron Rodgers before opting for Darnold, per Henderson.
Rodgers ended up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers months later. The longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback has not exactly been a fan favorite for the 12s.
Ultimately, the Seahawks did not appear to make a strong push to land Rodgers as Darnold was Seattle’s “top choice,” per Henderson.
“Seattle had already been eying a group of alternatives headlined by Darnold, who was bound for free agency,” Henderson wrote in a January 14, 2026, story titled, “How Seahawks started over at QB with Sam Darnold.” “The Vikings felt he had earned the right to be a starter, but it wasn’t going to be in Minnesota given that they were still committed to J.J. McCarthy after drafting him 10th overall the previous April.
“They elected not to use the franchise tag on Darnold because Vikings’ team officials thought they could re-sign Daniel Jones to pair with their second-year quarterback. Aaron Rodgers was another option the Seahawks strongly considered, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking, but Darnold was their top choice.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest Seahawks rumors.
The Seahawks Considered Signing Aaron Rodgers Before Landing Sam Darnold
The decision proved prudent for Seattle, but Rodgers did have a better stint with the Steelers this season than his underwhelming play with the New York Jets. Rodgers signed a one-year, $13.6 million contract with the Steelers, much less than his previous three-year, $112 million deal in New York.
By comparison, Darnold signed a three-year, $100 million contract with the Seahawks. Smith landed a two-year, $75 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders after being traded from Seattle. Darnold’s deal has aged quite nicely for the Seahawks amid his second straight Pro Bowl season.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold on Injury Ahead of 49ers Game: ‘I Feel Like I’ll Be Ready to Go’
Darnold’s play has not been flawless, especially given his propensity for turnovers. Yet, the Seahawks are hoping Darnold’s new oblique injury does not impact his play (or availability) against the San Francisco 49ers. Darnold has attempted to downplay the injury since being listed as questionable for the playoff matchup.
“I feel good,” Darnold said of his injury, per Seahawks.com. “In routes on air, I just felt a little something in my oblique. I just didn’t want to push it. It wasn’t the day to push it, so that was it. I came inside, got some rehab, and I feel like I’ll be ready to go for Saturday.”
“… It’s fun. We’ll attack it the next couple of days and be ready to go on Saturday… It is what it is. I felt it on a throw, but we’ll be ready to go.”
Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams
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