The Seahawks walked out of Wednesday’s season opener with a win, but their handling of rookie running back Jadarian Price drew plenty of heat along the way.
Price touched the ball 10 times for 52 rushing yards in Seattle’s 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots, yet his usage became the bigger talking point. Former NFL tackle and Joe Burrow’s ex-LSU teammate Breiden Fehoko went after the Seahawks on social media for the way they deployed the rookie.
“How do you draft a running back in the first round he's shown to be a spark in the offense when he gets the ball and you bench him every drive?” Fehoko tweeted.
He followed that up with a sharper shot at Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury.
“Did Jadarian Price bang the OCs wife or something?” Fehoko wrote. “He's got 5 yards a carry on 10 rushes and they bench every drive in crucial moments.”
Price was on the field for 10 of Seattle’s 25 offensive plays in the first half and averaged seven yards per carry on six attempts before halftime. Even with that efficiency, coach Mike Macdonald and the Seahawks kept him out of third-down work, two-minute situations and red zone snaps.
Seattle spent much of the night playing from behind. The Patriots led 7-0 at halftime, and the Seahawks were also forced to turn to Drew Lock after Sam Darnold was sidelined by an early injury. Andrés Borregales added a 50-yard field goal to push New England ahead 10-0.
The comeback started with Jason Myers’ 30-yard field goal, then Lock connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 45-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Myers later finished the job with a 26-yard field goal to lock up the win.
Sports doctor and injury analyst Jeff Mueller also questioned Seattle’s approach. On social media, he posted a sarcastic take aimed at Macdonald and the staff:
“Let's get Jadarian Price an explosive play... and then leave him in for the remainder of the drive for more explosive plays,” Mueller wrote.
Price arrived in Seattle after a productive college run at Notre Dame, where he rushed for 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns across three seasons. The Seahawks selected him with the No. 32 pick this year.
In Other News...
Drake Maye Hit Could Leave Patriots Fans Wanting More After Loss
Drake Maye gave the Patriots a mixed afternoon in Seattle, moving the ball well enough to keep New England in striking range but also giving the Seahawks plenty of help along the way. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, yet the three interceptions and three sacks were enough to tilt a tight game that ended 13-10 in Seattles favor.
The sequence that drew the most attention came when Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall was flagged for unnecessary roughness after a late hit on Maye, a play the NFL is now reviewing for possible further punishment. Maye stayed in the game after the hit, and while the Patriots left with another narrow loss, they now have a short week to reset before facing the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Keep Targeting Seahawks Talent After Another Seattle Departure
The Raiders interest in former Seahawks talent has not slowed down, and Bryce Cabeldue is the latest name to follow that path. Las Vegas claimed the rookie offensive lineman off waivers after Seattle moved on, adding another player with familiarity to the Seahawks recent roster churn and another piece for a group that has been reshaped under head coach Klint Kubiak, who previously served as Seattles offensive coordinator.
Cabeldue entered the league as a 2025 sixth-round pick and saw action in a small but useful sample last season, logging snaps at multiple spots along the offensive line. For Seattle, his departure is another reminder of how quickly late-round development projects can become roster casualties, while for the Raiders it continues a clear pattern of looking toward familiar Seahawks connections as they build out their depth. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Opener Chaos Turned A Tense Win Into Something Else
The NFL season opener at Lumen Field had enough on-field edge already, but the scene in the stands briefly stole the attention away from the Seahawks and Patriots. A dispute over seating escalated when a Patriots fan allegedly would not move from seats belonging to other spectators, and what began as an argument turned into a physical confrontation that drew in ushers, security and police before order was restored.
For a few tense minutes, the football game was secondary to the disruption above it, a reminder of how quickly a night at the stadium can veer off script. The fan was eventually handcuffed, and while the crowd settled back in, the incident lingered as one of the stranger moments of an opener that already had plenty of bite. [Read more 🡒]