The lights are already warming up in San Francisco.
The verified reality is this: Sam Darnold is expected to be available and near full strength for Super Bowl LX despite playing through a left oblique strain since late January.
The Seattle Seahawks did not take a straight path to the NFL’s biggest stage. On January 25, Darnold suffered a left oblique strain during practice, an injury known to limit rotational power and throwing volume. The team opted for careful management rather than shutdown, and Darnold never missed a start.
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He played through the injury in both playoff games. In the Divisional Round, Seattle dismantled the San Francisco 49ers41-6. One week later, Darnold delivered his sharpest performance yet, throwing for 346 yards on 25-of-36 passing with three touchdowns to defeat the Los Angeles Rams31-27 in the NFC Championship Game.
“The last two games that Darnold has played in, he has taken pain-killing shots before those games and didn’t really practice very much leading up to them…
Sam Darnold: Where the injury stands now
Clarity arrived this week. According to reporting from ESPN and NFL insider Jeff Darlington, the Seahawks feel “very positive” about Darnold’s condition heading into Sunday, February 8.
Darlington reported that Darnold received pain-killing injections before each of his last two playoff starts and had limited throwing during practice. Team leadership, including general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald, praised his composure and consistency, noting that his performance level never dropped.
Internally, the focus has been on workload, not availability. With additional recovery time since the original injury date, Darnold is believed to be closer to full capacity now than at any point this postseason.
Why this matters for Seattle
Oblique injuries often compromise mechanics, but Darnold’s production has remained stable. Analysts from NFL Network pointed to his maintained velocity and pocket movement, two indicators teams closely monitor with core injuries.
This stretch also reflects a broader shift in his career arc. After earlier seasons defined by instability, Darnold finished the 2025-26 regular season with 4,048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a 67.7% completion rate, according to NFL research. Seattle built its offense around that reliability, and the postseason has reinforced it.
Inside the locker room response
Following the NFC title win, Darnold emphasized the culture around him, saying he felt supported throughout the building. Teammates and coaches have echoed that sentiment publicly, framing his availability as an expectation rather than a question.
“Darnold himself has made very clear he was never concerned about his ability to play in those games and to do so at a high level. John Schneider, Mike Macdonald, both saying that they were so impressed by the way Darnold handled all of it. He was never nervous, never concerned. He was full go all along…
The road to Sunday
Seattle enters Super Bowl week with its quarterback healthy enough to prepare, trusted enough to lead, and proven enough to deliver. The focus has shifted from medical updates to execution against the New England Patriots on the sport’s biggest stage.
“It’s great. It’s great that I feel that support not with only their words but just with how everyone treats each other in the building. There is a lot of respect that goes around the building. Everyone respects the work we all put into this great game…
This report is based on postseason game data from the NFL, injury reporting and analysis from ESPN and Jeff Darlington, and league evaluation from NFL Network coverage. No social media posts were quoted verbatim.
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