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There is little doubt the 2026 season for the Seattle Seahawks has not gone to plan. Many fans, myself included, had high hopes. Brian Fleury had a unique background involving offense, defense, special teams and Kyle Shanahan mentorship. Most of the starters on the team remained.
Darnold, who does well in the Shanahan style offense looked poised to continue his 2024-2025 success.
Now, the team being 4-4 and while the defense has help up its end still being a top three unit, and special teams being top 15 or higher depending on the metric, the offense outside of Jaxon-Smith Njigba has been less stellar.
This leaves fans wondering: How confident are we in this team? Will Darnold be the quarterback still in 2027? We asked you those very questions. Let’s see where you, the fans, landed.
Just 33 percent of fans believe Sam Darnold will be the quarterback next season. This is understandable. He has struggled this season, and is now out with his second set of injuries this season. How much of his struggles are on him, and how much of it is due to Fleury, the scheme he has imposed on the offense, and his play calling, that is for fans to decide. We all have our opinions, and ultimately, only they know the truth.
The fact is, Darnold has not looked comfortable in this offense, and it looks as thought the offensive players have been struggling with the new play calling and scheme. The offensive line has regressed, receivers are dropping catches they normally catch, and Darnold is getting pressured more than he did in 2025. That is not a recipe for success for any quarterback.
As far as fan confidence, 27 percent of fans are headed in the right direction, and I am convinced this is due to the offensive struggles. Whether Mike Macdonald and John Schneider want to admit it or not, from the fan perspective, they chose poorly when it came to the offensive coordinator. Through eight games, the only game that seemingly was called well was versus the Kansas City Chiefs. One out of eight games. Not great odds.
They have the Arizona Cardinals next, and the injury report looks like an obituary.
This will be a true test for the team. Some big time leaders are out, and the Seahawks will need to truly be prepared. The “next man up” mentality needs to pull through, or the 73 percent of fans who do not believe the Seahawks are headed in the right direction, and those who believe in the Hard Knocks curse will have more evidence to add to their collection.
What are your thoughts. Will Sam Darnold be the quarterback of the Seahawks in 2027? Are the Seahawks headed in the right direction? Put your thoughts in the comments, have a respectful debate, and as always, Go Hawks!
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