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Darnold Injury Update: Seahawks QB Expected to Miss at Least One Game
Confirmed
In Short: Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to miss at least one game due to a hip injury, but the extent of his absence is not as severe as initially feared.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald provided some relief on Thursday, stating that Darnold's injury is more of a muscle issue rather than a structural one. According to reports, Darnold underwent an MRI on his hip after suffering the injury during the team's opening game against the New England Patriots. While the Seahawks anticipate he'll miss at least one game, nothing suggests a lengthy absence.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock stepped in and helped the Seahawks secure a 13-10 victory over the Patriots. Lock, who started twice in Geno Smith's absence in 2023, was tasked with extended reps due to Darnold's injury. However, this was the first time in his Seahawks career that he had to do so.
Without reading too deeply into the situation, it sounds like Darnold will avoid short-term IR and thus miss at least the next four games. The Seahawks may have dodged a bullet, as Darnold's injury is not as catastrophic as it could have been. The team is hopeful that Darnold will return sooner rather than later, with the possibility of him getting all of the starting reps in practice next week.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald revealed that the team was able to rule out a fracture regarding Darnold's hip. According to NFL Media, Darnold suffered a muscle strain after initial X-rays confirmed no fracture. Darnold hobbled off the field after being sacked on Seattle's opening drive on Wednesday night and didn't return.
The big story is that Darnold has an injury, he'll miss time, but it's not as disastrous as it could have been. The Seahawks' victory over the Patriots was a testament to Lock's performance, as he finished with 187 passing yards, one passing touchdown, no interceptions, and a 113.3 passer rating, completing 72.7% of his passes (16 of 22).
What's confirmed
- Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald provided some relief on Thursday, stating that Darnold's injury is more of a muscle issue rather than a structural one. According to reports, Darnold underwent an MRI on his hip after suffering the injury during the team's opening game against the New England Patriots. While the Seahawks anticipate he'll miss at least one game, nothing suggests a lengthy absence.
- Backup quarterback Drew Lock stepped in and helped the Seahawks secure a 13-10 victory over the Patriots. Lock, who started twice in Geno Smith's absence in 2023, was tasked with extended reps due to Darnold's injury. However, this was the first time in his Seahawks career that he had to do so.
- Without reading too deeply into the situation, it sounds like Darnold will avoid short-term IR and thus miss at least the next four games. The Seahawks may have dodged a bullet, as Darnold's injury is not as catastrophic as it could have been. The team is hopeful that Darnold will return sooner rather than later, with the possibility of him getting all of the starting reps in practice next week.
- Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald revealed that the team was able to rule out a fracture regarding Darnold's hip. According to NFL Media, Darnold suffered a muscle strain after initial X-rays confirmed no fracture. Darnold hobbled off the field after being sacked on Seattle's opening drive on Wednesday night and didn't return.
- The big story is that Darnold has an injury, he'll miss time, but it's not as disastrous as it could have been. The Seahawks' victory over the Patriots was a testament to Lock's performance, as he finished with 187 passing yards, one passing touchdown, no interceptions, and a 113.3 passer rating, completing 72.7% of his passes (16 of 22).
What's still developing
- The fact that we’re only talking about next week instead of the whole of the season is great news for Sam and the Seahawks.
- Ian Rapoport followed up by saying Darnold will likely miss Week 2 at the Arizona Cardinals, a place where the Seahawks have definitely never had catastrophic injuries before, but he might be back fairly soon even after that.
- He’ll presumably get all of the starting reps in practice next week, and ideally the communication issues between himself and offensive coordinator Brian Fleury will be smoothed over now that there’s an actual gameplan that can be developed.