“I want to finish my career in Seattle,” Smith said after the Seahawks’ 41-23 wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune.
He added: “They embraced me. I want to repay them for that.”
Smith, an impending free agent, won the starting quarterback job following the offseason trade of Russell Wilson. He shined in his first year as a full-time starter since 2014, throwing for a franchise-record 4,282 yards along with 30 touchdowns as he led the Seahawks to a postseason berth.
The 32-year-old told reporters postgame that he expects to return to Seattle, according to The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar.
It was reported earlier Saturday that the Seahawks are expected to retain Smith. They can either sign the signal-caller to a new contract or franchise tag him.
Head coach Pete Carroll raved about Smith’s performance following the playoff defeat to the 49ers.
“Geno is the real deal,” Carroll said, per team reporter John Boyle. “He can do all the things a terrific quarterback does.”
Smith compiled 253 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a 98.9 passer rating in Saturday’s contest against San Francisco.
“I’m excited about the future,” Smith added. “We can get a lot better.”
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