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Seahawks QB Darnold Expected to Miss at Least One Game Due to Glute Injury
Confirmed
In Short: Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is set to miss Week 2's game against the Arizona Cardinals with a glute injury, potentially out for 4-6 weeks.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to miss Week 2's game against the Arizona Cardinals due to a glute injury, according to reports. The injury may keep him out for 4-6 weeks, with Seattle seeking up to four second opinions. Darnold's absence will be filled by veteran Drew Lock, who started in relief of Darnold in Week 1 and threw for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on his radio show that Darnold’s injury appears to be more of a muscle issue instead of the hip structure itself, which is a massive relief. While Darnold is expected to be out for at least one game, the exact timeline for his return is still uncertain. Second-year quarterback Jalen Milroe is also an option for the Seahawks.
Lock is 10-18 in games he’s started across stints with the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Seahawks. Despite the uncertainty, the franchise will miss the playoffs for the 10th time since that 2014 World Series title, and management has a decision to make on manager Matt Quatraro. The SportsLine Projection Model also has picks on games like Royals-Astros from its 10,000 simulations, and our experts also offer insights on games every day.
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. While Darnold’s injury is concerning, the Seahawks are optimistic about his recovery. The 2026 NFL season is in full tilt with Week 1 in the books, but unfortunately that also means the injuries that come with playing the violent game that is professional football are also back in our lives.
What's confirmed
- Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to miss Week 2's game against the Arizona Cardinals due to a glute injury, according to reports. The injury may keep him out for 4-6 weeks, with Seattle seeking up to four second opinions. Darnold's absence will be filled by veteran Drew Lock, who started in relief of Darnold in Week 1 and threw for 187 yards and a touchdown.
- Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on his radio show that Darnold’s injury appears to be more of a muscle issue instead of the hip structure itself, which is a massive relief. While Darnold is expected to be out for at least one game, the exact timeline for his return is still uncertain. Second-year quarterback Jalen Milroe is also an option for the Seahawks.
- Lock is 10-18 in games he’s started across stints with the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Seahawks. Despite the uncertainty, the franchise will miss the playoffs for the 10th time since that 2014 World Series title, and management has a decision to make on manager Matt Quatraro. The SportsLine Projection Model also has picks on games like Royals-Astros from its 10,000 simulations, and our experts also offer insights on games every day.
- 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. While Darnold’s injury is concerning, the Seahawks are optimistic about his recovery. The 2026 NFL season is in full tilt with Week 1 in the books, but unfortunately that also means the injuries that come with playing the violent game that is professional football are also back in our lives.
What's still developing
- The timetable for Darnold’s recovery isn’t exactly clear, with NBC’s Mike Florio reporting it to be in the 4-6 week range, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that returning for Week 3 against the Washington Commanders is still potentially in play.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday morning that Darnold underwent an MRI on his hip, and while the Seahawks anticipate he’ll miss at least one game, a major length of absence appears to have been avoided.
- While Lock started twice in Geno Smith’s absence in 2023, this was the first time in his Seahawks career he’d been tasked with extended reps due to starter injury.
- We still don’t know when Darnold will be back, but nothing suggests he’s out for a lengthy period of time.
- Los Angeles placed him on injured reserve, which means he will be out at least four games, and McVay said there won't be a timeline for Garrett's absence until after the surgery on Monday.
- Garrett is a generational freak, but this injury shows there's no guarantee the Rams will be getting the superhero-level production they were banking on in 2026 when they traded away Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, their 2027 first-round, 2028 second-round pick and 2029 third-round pick.
- We've gathered the biggest early-season injuries from around the league, and we'll be evaluating each injury situation with a panic meter as listed below: Los Angeles will be without the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year for an extended amount of time, which is a big deal.
- Garrett missed most of training camp, including a joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys, with swelling in his knee.