Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith suffered a knee injury in the second half of Sunday night's 30-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers and did not return.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters after the loss that it appeared Smith's knee was structurally OK, but the extent of the injury was unclear. Smith will undergo further evaluation on Monday.
"I'll tell you this, this guy's probably the toughest player I've been around," Macdonald said of Smith. "(It was) severe enough for him not to come back in the game. We'll do all the tests tomorrow and kind of figure it out as we go. Right now, structurally it looks like it's OK. We'll get him imaged and all that stuff."
Smith went down during the Seahawks' second possession of the third quarter when he was hit low by Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper on a pass attempt. Smith lingered on the turf in noticeable pain and was replaced under center by veteran Sam Howell.
The NBC broadcast later showed Smith exiting for the locker room for further evaluation. He eventually returned to the sideline and was seen on the bench with a wrap around his right knee.
Smith was 15 of 19 with 149 yards and a costly red-zone interception at the time of the injury.
Macdonald said that Smith initially wanted to return to the game, but it soon was determined that "he just couldn't go."
Sunday's loss dropped Seattle to 8-6 on the season and into a tie for first place atop the NFC West with the surging Los Angeles Rams. Smith's health will be pivotal to the Seahawks' playoff chances, which dropped to 37% after Sunday, per Next Gen Stats.
The schedule doesn't do the 'Hawks any favors if they are forced to start Howell, who struggled in relief on Sunday, for extended time. Seattle hosts the playoff-bound Minnesota Vikings in Week 16 before a potential must-win game in Los Angeles against the Rams in the regular-season finale.
"We've got to get the tests done," Macdonald said when asked about a potential timeline for Smith. "I know we'll do everything humanely possible to go play, but just don't know right now."
