Brian Fleury didn’t need much time to see what he wanted from Sam Darnold.
The Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator finally got his first full game with Darnold in Week 3, and despite a 33-31 loss to the Washington Commanders, Fleury came away encouraged by how their new partnership functioned under game conditions.
“There was no drop-off. It felt pretty smooth,” Fleury said Thursday, as HawkMania shared on X. “But there is an element of us still getting to know each other. It was our first full game together.”
“There was no drop-off. It felt pretty smooth. But there is an element of us still getting to know each other. It was our first full game together. To be with
Darnold missed Week 2 before returning against Washington, leaving Fleury to work with Drew Lock for most of the first two games.
Darnold then returned and immediately pushed the offense downfield, completing 31 of 45 passes for 379 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. The turnovers proved costly, but the production offered a clear glimpse of what Fleury and Darnold can build on as Seattle moves deeper into the season.
Fleury Sees More Room to Grow With Darnold
Fleury’s comments were less about declaring the partnership finished and more about how much room remains for the quarterback and play caller to sharpen their communication.
“To be with him, to see his reactions to certain plays, on the sideline and in conversations, that was our first real experience going through that process,” Fleury said. “I think it went well, and we will continue to grow.”
The Seahawks’ official description of Fleury’s Thursday press conference also characterized the Washington matchup as his “first full game calling plays” with Darnold. That distinction matters. Darnold played only five snaps in Week 1 before suffering a hip and glute injury, while Lock started Seattle’s 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.
Against Washington, Darnold posted a 105.7 passer rating and threw two touchdown passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, along with one apiece to Cooper Kupp and Eric Saubert. Smith-Njigba finished with 10 catches for 128 yards, giving Fleury a dependable main feature as he worked through his first complete game with Darnold.
The afternoon was also a reminder of the margin Seattle is dealing with. Darnold threw two second-half interceptions, including one Kain Medrano returned 50 yards for a touchdown. Seattle had three turnovers overall, and Washington turned those takeaways into 21 points.
Still, head coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold “kept us in the game.”
Seahawks Built Fleury Hire Around Offensive Continuity
Seattle’s comfort with Fleury and Darnold finding their rhythm quickly was part of the plan when the Seahawks replaced Klint Kubiak during the offseason.
Kubiak left after the Super Bowl season to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Seattle hired Fleury after his stint as the San Francisco 49ers’ run game coordinator and tight ends coach. The Seahawks made continuity a priority, with Fleury coming from the same Kyle Shanahan coaching tree as Kubiak.
Fleury said after his hiring that his goal was to “maintain as much” of Seattle’s 2025 offense as possible. Darnold also had familiarity with him from their time together in San Francisco in 2023.
That background has helped soften the adjustment, but Week 3 gave both men something offseason practices could not: a full game of real-time communication, corrections and pressure situations.
The result was messy in spots, especially with the turnovers, yet Seattle still generated 437 yards of offense and nearly erased a late nine-point deficit. Darnold completed five straight passes on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive capped by a 7-yard score to Kupp.
Now the Seahawks return home to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Fleury’s ensuing task with Darnold will be turning the passing production into a cleaner overall performance.
Seahawks OC Proclaims Strong Sam Darnold Verdict Before Chargers Game