Getty Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll saw one of his Pro Bowl players earn a bonus in Week 18.
Veteran quarterback Geno Smith had a terrific 2022 regular season for the Seattle Seahawks. For his efforts, he will now be rewarded.
Throughout the 2022 season, Smith maximized the bonus opportunities in his contract. With the Seahawks clinching the last spot in the NFC playoffs, Smith earned his final $1 million bonus.
Overall, Spotrac reported that Smith earned $3.5 million in bonuses this season.
Geno Smith secured an extra $1M bonus with the #Seahawks playoff berth.
He maxed out all $3.5M of his incentives, raising his 2022 payout to $7M.
Smith Earns $1 Million Bonus for Playoff Berth
The Sporting News reported that some of Smith’s bonuses were considered “likely to be earned,” so technically, the veteran quarterback has earned more than just $3.5 million in incentives.
His bonus for Week 1 and being active in every game was part of his $3.5 million base pay. Then on top of that base pay, with other incentives, Smith doubled his 2022 payout.
Smith earned a $500,000 bonus for making the Pro Bowl and throwing 20 touchdown passes. He reached 20 touchdowns in Week 13 and then was one of the three NFC quarterbacks named to the Pro Bowl on Dec. 21.
In Week 17, Smith earned a $1 million incentive for surpassing the 4,000-yard passing mark. He reached that total against the team that drafted him, the New York Jets, with 183 yards through the air.
Playing time was another incentive in Smith’s contract. For playing more than 85% of the team’s offensive snaps this season, he earned a $1 million bonus, and that bonus doubled with another $1 million incentive because of the team’s playoff berth.
With all those bonuses, Smith raised his 2022 salary to $7 million. Considering his final stats, he was still a bargain.
Smith finished the season with an NFL-high 69.8% completion percentage. He also had 4,282 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
His 30 touchdowns and 7.5 yards per attempt average were career highs. Smith also led his team to the postseason for the first time in his career.
Smith Breaks Two Franchise Records in Week 18
Going into the season finale, Smith had a chance to become the first Seahawks quarterback to post a completion percentage above 70%.
Unfortunately, he finished short of that goal. Going 19-for-31 in Week 18, Smith’s completion percentage dipped just below 70% to 69.8%. Had Smith completed 2 more of his 31 attempts in Week 18, he would have stayed above 70%.
Even still, his 69.8% completion percentage set a new Seahawks record, as did his 4,282 passing yards. Russell Wilson held the previous franchise record with 4,219 passing yards in 2016.
Geno Smith’s first full regular season as a Seattle Seahawk.
9-8 Record
62.6 QBR
399/572 69.8 CMP%
4,282 Passing Yards (Franchise Record)
30 Passing Touchdowns
11 Interceptions
Still not writing back. | #Seahawks
It’s always difficult replacing a quarterback who played a decade with a franchise and won a Super Bowl. But things couldn’t have gone much better for Smith in his first year of starting with the Seahawks.
Considering his bonuses and records, life has to be pretty good. Meanwhile, Wilson experienced a disaster of a season, winning only 5 games with the Denver Broncos.
Wilson will be at home when Smith and the Seahawks kick off the postseason at 4:30 pm ET on January 14.
The Seahawks are hoping the third time is the charm against the San Francisco 49ers in that playoff matchup. The 49ers beat the Seahawks by a combined score of 48-20 in their two regular season showdowns.
Smith posted a 74.3% completion percentage, but he averaged just 5.9 yards per attempt with 1 touchdown and an interception in those two games.