Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe will be under a microscope as he plays the team’s entire third and final preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs tonight. He has nowhere to metaphorically run, as the Seahawks will let him stay out and throw 5 interceptions if that’s what it comes to. The floor outcome could be similar to when you watch a baseball team put a young pitcher out inthe later innings of a blowout and say, “you’re just going to wear this one, kid”. That’s pretty accurate description of what last week felt like.
Here’s head coach Mike Macdonald stating his intention to let Milroe sink or swim, courtesy of Brian Nemhauser’s Hawk Blogger account on X.
Seahawks starters will not play against the Chiefs. Jalen Milroe will play the whole
game. pic.twitter.com/V9xNCoXHTG
— Brian Nemhauser (@hawkblogger) August 27, 2026
No matter how bad the floor looks, the ceiling outcome is spectacular. Milroe’s legs and mobility are as much of a gamechanger as all but 5-10 current NFL starting quarterbacks. But- and this is the kicker- he will not reach his potential if he cannot read coverages the way the Seahawks want him to. He needs to reach a baseline level of distribution, where he convinces the defense that he’s willling to make every throw each play’s progression calls for. Last week, he got baited like this:
Jalen Milroe #WhatDidHeSee pic.twitter.com/rbXsV5F1Ew
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) August 24, 2026
It’s easier said than done, but if Milroe sees the safeties tonight- with legendary defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo calling the Kansas City coverages- he can dictate the narrative around him until he’s needed to play again, whether next preseason or sooner. He needs to have a clean game, complete passes over the middle, and inspire belief that he looks better. The stat sheet will figure itself out if the skills are visible, but you can't reverse engineer his passing numbers without starting with the fundamentals.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: What Seahawks need to see from QB Jalen Milroe in preseason finale
