The 2022 Seattle Seahawks entered the season as a popular choice to crater completely. After a decade of national relevance, general manager John Schneider finally traded franchise icon Russell Wilson to Denver and cut loose Bobby Wagner, prompting pundits to pen obituaries for Pete Carroll’s program. Armed with a massive draft haul and low expectations, the Seahawks instead rallied around Carroll's program and remained surprisingly competitive. Behind a strong rookie class featuring Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Kenneth Walker III, and Riq Woolen, Carroll completely rebuilt the roster on the fly. The team defied a projected last-place finish to go 9-8, finishing second in the NFC West and claiming a wild card playoff spot.

Nobody had the Geno Smith revival on their bingo card. The career backup took the reins of Shane Waldron’s West Coast offense and put up a sensational statistical campaign, passing for 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns and a league-best 69.8% completion rate. Geno’s surgical efficiency unlocked a stellar receiver tandem. Tyler Lockett logged 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns, while D.K. Metcalf remained a dominant primary threat with 90 catches for 1,048 yards. When Rashaad Penny went down with an injury, rookie Kenneth Walker III stepped up to run for 1,050 yards and nine scores. The offense finished the season ranked a highly impressive ninth in points scored (23.9 ppg).

While the offense hummed, Clint Hurtt’s defense was a work in progress, surrendering 401 points (23.6 ppg) to finish a mediocre 25th in the league. The run defense was particularly vulnerable, giving up 2,554 yards on the ground. However, the unit excelled in generating takeaways. The crown jewel was rookie cornerback Riq Woolen, a draft-day steal who grabbed six interceptions, tied for the NFL lead. Up front, newcomer Uchenna Nwosu proved to be a critical piece, pacing the pass rush with 9.5 sacks. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks was the defensive workhorse in the middle, filling the stat sheet with 161 tackles.

The season of high-flying drama kicked off with a classic Monday Night Football matchup, as the Seahawks hosted Russell Wilson and the Broncos. Seattle’s defense held firm in a 17-16 win. After a rough 2-3 start, they went on a five-in-six game winning streak. The catalyst was a wild 48-45 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 4, where Geno outdueled Jared Goff. After a mid-season slump, the Seahawks saved their playoff hopes by sweeping the Rams, culminating in a dramatic Week 18 overtime win.

The improbable run ended in the Wild Card round. They went to San Francisco and actually held a halftime lead, but eventually fell 41-23 to the division champion 49ers. Despite the early exit, it marked the start of a brand new era in Seattle, with Geno Smith securing NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors. Along with Pro Bowl nods for Smith, Woolen, Quandre Diggs, and kicker Jason Myers, this season showed the league that Carroll is still a master developer of young talent.