SANTA CLARA — Quarterback Geno Smith gingerly went through a 10-minute workout some three hours before kickoff today to determine whether he’ll start for the Seattle Seahawks against the 49ers.
Smith sustained a groin injury in Thursday’s practice and was listed as questionable, prompting the Seahawks to add Sean Mannion to the 53-man roster as an option with Drew Lock behind Smith.
Smith methodically worked on his pocket movement with occasional passes during his workout. If he plays, expect him to work out of the shotgun formation and unload quick passes rather than test his mobility with zone-read runs.
Geno Smith went through a 10-minute workout, lot of communication between throws with training staff, looked very ginger, walked off favoring right leg/groin
If he starts for Seahawks vs 49ers, expect lot of shotgun snaps, no zone read, and lot of Nick Bosa & Co. crashing pocket
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) December 10, 2023
Smith is only three weeks removed from sustaining an triceps contusion near his throwing elbow. He played through that issue in losing to the 49ers on Thanksgiving Night in Seattle, 31-13.
Smith has started every game since last season for the Seahawks, who went 0-3 last year against the 49ers, including a wild-card playoff loss here at Levi’s Stadium.
KNAPP STAIR CLIMB CHALLENGE
John Lynch, Adam Peters, Keena Turner were among the 49ers’ front-office representatives, while several members of Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff also participated pregame in the Greg Knapp Stair Climb Challenge. The second annual event raises awareness to the dangers of distracted driving and to honor Knapp, a former 49ers’ assistant who coached in the NFL for 25 years before his July 2021 death, after being struck by a distracted driver while cycling near his Danville home.
The 49ers’ event Sunday was an answer to the challenge from the Atlanta Falcons, who jointly participated with the New York Jets to run stairs before their game last Sunday. The 49ers thus challenged the Seahawks’ staff members to do the same before their game next Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I just want to thank everybody here for showing up two years in a row, and for John and the 49ers to make sure this happened,” Charlotte Knapp, Greg’s widow, said. “This was Greg’s home in the NFL, where he started his career, so this is very special being here. He also won his only Super Bowl at this stadium (as the 2015 Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach), something I’m so grateful he had the opportunity to do before he passed. I feel like he’s here, and it feels very near and dear to my heart to be here with you in doing this with the 49ers. Thank you.”
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49ers to honor former coach Greg Knapp with stair climb before Seahawks game
Lynch added: “If you knew Knapper, you knew he was a tremendous person and just everybody in the league knew Greg and that he was a good person. … For 25 years, Greg ran the steps. Long before Robert Saleh, there was Greg Knapp running the stairs before games. We’re pleased to run these stairs in an effort to bring awareness to distracted driving. It’s a terrible tragedy, but credit to you, Charlotte, for making good out of a tragedy.”
