Seattle Seahawks fans, breathe.
While Sam Darnold will likely miss at least one game due to a hip injury he suffered in the team’s Wednesday night season opener against the New England Patriots, an MRI has determined that Seattle’s starting quarterback “dodged a bullet” and shouldn’t miss an extended period of time, NFL Media reported on Thursday afternoon.
Darnold hobbled off the field after being sacked on Seattle’s opening drive on Wednesday night and didn’t return. The Seahawks later announced that Darnold sustained a hip injury and wouldn’t return, with backup Drew Lock stepping in and helping Seattle pull off a come-from-behind 13-10 victory over New England.
After the game, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald revealed the team was “able to rule out a fracture” regarding Darnold’s hip.
In what was a rematch of Super Bowl LX, which the Seahawks won 29-13, Lock finished with 187 passing yards, one passing touchdown, no interceptions and a 113.3 passer rating, while completing 72.7% of his passes (16 of 22).
If Darnold misses time, Lock would presumably become Seattle’s starting quarterback, with second-year signal caller and 2025 third-round pick Jalen Milroe serving as the backup quarterback. Lock has made 28 starts over his seven-plus-year NFL career (2019-present), most recently making five starts for the New York Giants in 2024.
According to the Ringer, Darnold suffered a muscle strain after initial X-rays confirmed no fracture. While he is expected to avoid Injured Reserve, his immediate return is uncertain, and he is likely to miss time.
Seattle’s next two games are road tilts against the Arizona Cardinals (Sept. 20) and Washington Commanders (Sept. 27). With Darnold unable to go next week, the expectation is Drew Lock will remain the quarterback moving forward.
The 29-year-old Darnold is in his second season with the Seahawks. Last year (2025), Darnold earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod, throwing for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, while posting a 99.1 passer rating and completing 67.7% of his passes in a 14-3 season for Seattle.
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