For one thing, there's a lot of money on the line in potential bonuses for head coach Mike Macdonald and his players. Macdonald told reporters earlier this week he'll be playing his starters in an effort to get that 10th win of the season.

Which, yes, means that in the shadows of Hollywood, Smith on Sunday could be referred to as having a chance to play the role of the $6 million man. The incentives are part of a three-year contract he signed in March 2023. That deal initially was reported to be worth up to $105 million over three years.

Beyond 2025, the Seahawks should be on the lookout for a future signal caller, but the franchise has bigger fish to fry after missing the playoffs.

The Seattle Seahawks are in full chase mode for a playoff berth, but Geno Smith is not the long-term answer at QB.

Geno Smith has had quite the year for the Seattle Seahawks. He’s third in the league in passing yards per game, trailing only Joe Burrow and Jared Goff, and is one of just four starters in the NFL completing more than 70% of their passes, all while leading the Seahawks to a 5-1 record against NFC West competition to keep them in playoff contention.

But the finale to this sputtering, see-saw Seahawks season isn’t meaningless. Not to Geno Smith. Seattle’s final game of the 2024 season at the NFC West-champion Los Angeles Rams is the veteran quarterback’s $6 million game.