The Seattle Seahawks have quietly engineered one of the most effective and intelligent team builds in the NFL. While major moves like acquiring QB Sam Darnold and drafting star players have garnered headlines, the singular move that has unleashed Seattle’s current offensive powerhouse is the hiring of Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak. This decision is the linchpin that connects all other successful roster moves and is directly responsible for a historic spike in individual player performance.
The true measure of Kubiak’s impact is seen in the individual statistical performances across the offense. An analysis of Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades through the first five weeks of the season reveals a remarkable consistency: the Seattle Seahawks are the only team in the NFL to have a player ranked in the top three at all four major offensive positions (Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, and Tight End).
- Quarterback: Sam Darnold is the highest-graded quarterback in the NFL with a 91.2 PFF grade.
- Running Back: Kenneth Walker is the highest-graded running back in the NFL with an 85.4 PFF grade.
- Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the third-ranked wide receiver.
- Tight End: AJ Barner, a 2024 fourth-round pick, has emerged as an elite talent and is a top-three tight end.
This simultaneous dominance across all key skill positions is a testament not to a massive influx of new talent, but to a scheme that maximizes the potential of the players already on the roster. The team has transitioned from a 16th overall PFF ranking in offensive grades last year to the number one overall offense in the NFL this season.
The most significant proof of the hiring’s genius is the transformation of quarterback Sam Darnold. While Darnold showed improvement with the Minnesota Vikings last season under Kevin O’Connell, some dismissed his success as a one-off coaching achievement. However, with Kubiak in Seattle, Darnold’s performance has skyrocketed past his previous high-water marks.
Last season in Minnesota, Darnold averaged 7.9 yards per attempt and 8.2 adjusted yards per attempt. So far in 2025 with Kubiak’s offense, Darnold is averaging 9.3 yards per attempt and 9.63 adjusted yards per attempt. This dramatic jump clearly demonstrates that the high-efficiency, play-action-heavy scheme is maximizing Darnold’s talent. It’s hard to ignore the impact that Kubiak is having on Darnold’s success.
All the other successful moves by the Seahawks, including trading for an efficient quarterback like Darnold and letting go of a star receiver like DK Metcalf to fully unleash players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, are directly enabled by Kubiak’s hiring. His scheme is designed to create opportunities for multiple playmakers, explaining the unprecedented consistency across the skill positions.
For a defensive-minded Head Coach like Mike MacDonald, securing the right offensive play-caller was the most critical decision of the offseason, and by hiring Kubiak, the Seahawks nailed it. The success of Darnold, Walker, Smith-Njigba, and Barner is not a coincidence; it’s the intended consequence of a masterful strategic move that has turned the Seahawks into legitimate contenders for the NFC crown.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
