The Seattle Seahawks enter Week 10 tied for the best record in the NFC.
The decision to move on from Geno Smith and turn to Sam Darnold at quarterback has proven to be a masterstroke through the first half of the season.
Seattle’s strong positioning reflects a calculated offseason investment that is paying dividends.
FOX Sports host Colin Cowherd recently revealed that Tom Brady had a surprising opinion about Darnold while making plans as co-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
“There were reports that Brady didn’t want Sam Darnold in Vegas. It seems to me Sammy is pretty good,” Cowherd said.
"There were reports that Brady didn’t want Sam Darnold in Vegas…it seems to me Sammy is pretty good." – Colin Cowherd pic.twitter.com/0pz9UiUajN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 6, 2025
NFL insider Michael Silver reported earlier this year that Brady declined to invest in Darnold when evaluating offseason options for Las Vegas, who wound up with Smith instead.
That decision appeared defensible at the time based on available information.
However, the results so far this season tell a different story.
Smith is tied for the league lead with 11 interceptions, and the Raiders are last in the AFC West.
Darnold has 2,084 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.
His production has helped Seattle establish itself among the top teams in the NFC.
He became a free agent after his standout 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings, when he had 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes while earning a postseason berth.
A pairing of Darnold and the Raiders appeared logical, given his performance and the franchise’s needs at quarterback.
NEXT: Stephen A. Smith Has A Big Concern About Sam Darnold