Rookie QB Jalen Milroe on his start, entire game in Seattle Seahawks NFL preseason loss at Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. By Gregg Bell/The News Tribune| Gregg Bell/The News Tribune
The regular season is here. And here comes Jalen Milroe.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak made it clear Thursday his rookie third-string quarterback is playing this season, which begins Sunday in the opener against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field (1:05 p.m, channel 13 locally).
And in the 16 other games, too.
“Yeah, he’s going to get opportunities,” Kubiak said of the run-pass QB threat Seattle drafted in the third round out of Alabama this spring.
“We’re looking forward to seeing him get out on the field. He’s had a really good training camp.
“Young player that’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Sure sounds like the Seahawks not only will have all three of their quarterbacks on the 53-man active roster — starter Sam Darnold, veteran backup Drew Lock and Milroe — active Sunday, but also will have a package of plays designed for Milroe to run at the 49ers.
And at the Steelers next Sunday in Pittsburgh. And at the Saints in Lumen Field in week three...
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) looks on prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch USA TODAY NETWORK
Jalen Milroe’s preseason
Kubiak showed a glimpse of his plan in the Seahawks’ second preseason game, against Kansas City Aug. 15. On the first offensive possession the play caller took Darnold out and put in Milroe for a third and 1. Kubiak called a “Tush Push” quarterback sneak. The 6-foot-2, 216-pound Milroe bulled forward 2 yards behind the interior of Seattle’s starting offensive line. He easily gained the first down. It extended what became an 81-yard touchdown drive Darnold finished.
Milroe played the final 1 1/2 quarters of that game. He played the second half of another preseason game. He played the entire preseason finale at Green Bay two weeks ago.
The running force at Alabama — 32 rushing rushing touchdowns his final two college seasons — has been knocked for his inaccuracy passing. In three preseason games Milroe completed 22 of 39 passes (56.4%) for 255 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. His passer rating was a middling 84.9. He got sacked six times with three lost fumbles all in the Green Bay game.
He ran 15 times for 86 yards (5.7 yards per rush) in the preseason. Most of those were scrambles around slower pass rushers. Milroe led three scoring drives to 17 points in the seven full quarters plus 3 minutes he played last month.
Five of the six sacks of Milroe came in the Packers game, when Green Bay played starters on defense and Seattle played deep reserve offensive linemen.
In that start, Milroe missed wide on numerous throws to open receivers while throwing with near constant pressure. He ran seven times for 31 yards in the preseason. Most were on pass calls that became scrambles away from charging Packers.
Kubiak and coach Mike Macdonald left Green Bay impressed with Milroe’s poise amid all that went wrong for him and the offense that didn’t score until deep into the fourth quarter.
Of course coach Macdonald didn’t like the fumbles.
“Taking care of the football is probably the number-one thing,” Macdonald said of Milroe’s day in Green Bay Aug. 23.
But the coach also said: “What’s great about it is he didn’t flinch. He had a couple of setbacks earlier, and he kept fighting. He kept working away at it. Up until the very end we had a chance to get back into the game and give ourselves a chance to win it. We’re fighting an uphill battle the whole game, which is not how we want to play.
“Sometimes things are going to go your way and you’ve got to fight thru it.”
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) looks on behind the offensive line during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lumen Field, on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Seattle. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
The head coach said for Milroe’s position in particular, his even keel is key. He expects Milroe to be the same in his first, real NFL game Sunday.
“I think that’s important,” Macdonald said. “I think it’s really, just you be you. Don’t try to be anybody else. Be Jalen Milroe.
“That’s good. The guy has played in big games before. He’s played in some tough environments, some big time games at Alabama. It’s nothing new to him.”
And, yes, Macdonald echoes Kubiak in wanting opposing defensive coordinators beginning with Robert Saleh on the 49ers this week to have to devote game-preparation time to defending Milroe’s package of plays.
“We’re going to have plays in game plans for Jalen,” Macdonald said of this season, “and he’s going to rep those with the ones,” in practices.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) scrambles during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lumen Field, on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Seattle. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com