Getty
The Seattle Seahawks have a major “hidden storyline” riding along with Sam Darnold’s breakout 2025 season — and it could end with the quarterback cashing some serious bonuses over the final month.
Darnold’s three-year deal includes up to $15 million in incentives over the life of the contract, with $5 million available each season based on the same set of parameters, according to reporting on ESPN. And entering Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts, Darnold is already sitting in range to hit multiple benchmarks if he keeps playing at anything close to his current pace.
Seattle hosts Indianapolis on December 14 at 4:25 p.m. ET at Lumen Field.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Has Major Incentive Chase Entering Week 15
The incentive setup is pretty straightforward: Darnold can earn $500,000 for hitting several season-long passing marks, including a 100.0+ passer rating, 28 touchdown passes, 4,000 passing yards, and a 67.5% completion rate. (Yahoo’s contract breakdown also notes there are annual playing-time incentives involved as well, adding another layer to the potential payout. )
Darnold said earlier this week the Seahawks’ focus is still “continuing to be efficient” and stacking complete games, adding, “If we can do it in a half, why can’t we do it all game?” He also stressed the locker room mindset, saying it’s “something special about this team” because “a lot of guys… don’t care about stats… they just want to win.”
Even then, there’s money on the line for Darnold.
With Seattle sitting at 10-3 and Indianapolis at 8-5, it’s the type of late-season stretch where every game matters — and Darnold’s individual numbers are very much in the spotlight, too.
Where Darnold Stands vs the $500K Benchmarks
Darnold’s current line after 13 games: 3,162 passing yards, 22 TD passes, 11 interceptions, and a 103.8 passer rating, with 241 completions on 354 attempts (68.1%).
That matters for the incentive math:
Passer rating (100.0+): Darnold is at 103.8, which would clear that bonus if the season ended today.
Completion rate (67.5%+): He’s at 68.1%, also above the threshold right now.
Touchdown passes (28+): He’s at 22, meaning he needs six more over the final four games.
Passing yards (4,000+): He’s at 3,162, meaning he needs 838 more to get there. That would be an average of 209 yards in the final four contests. He currently averages 243 passing yards per game.
In other words, two of the biggest statistical triggers are already “in hand” at the moment, while the yardage and TD totals are the ones that could become a week-to-week chase.
Darnold is also coming off a sharp Week 14 performance in a 37-9 win over the Atlanta Falcons, throwing for 249 yards and three TDs (plus 23 rushing yards). If Seattle keeps putting up points, the 28-TD and 4,000-yard marks become much more realistic.
What It Means for Seattle vs Colts and the Stretch Run
Incentives don’t automatically change a game plan, but they do add a little extra juice to the late-season conversation, especially when the Seahawks have bigger goals in front of them.
For the Colts, the storyline is their own quarterback situation (including the emergency Philip Rivers angle that’s been floating around all week), but for Seattle, Darnold’s performance has become central to everything: whether the Seahawks can keep stacking wins, and whether their QB can continue playing at a top-tier efficiency level.
Bottom line: Darnold’s deal isn’t just big money on paper — it’s set up so that a strong finish can literally add millions to his season, and he’s already positioned to collect if he stays near his current pace.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Anderson is also the host of The Rip City Pod on The I-5 Corridor, where he dives into the stories and personalities shaping the Portland Trail Blazers. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
More Heavy on Seahawks
Loading more stories