Sam Darnold Expected to Miss Time With Hip Injury Following Season Opener

Sam Darnold Sustains Hip Injury on Season-Opening Drive

The Seattle Seahawks absorbed a major injury scare during Wednesday night’s season opener when quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury on the fifth play from scrimmage against the New England Patriots. Sacked early in the contest, Darnold immediately came off the field displaying a visible limp. According to the NBC broadcast, the signal-caller initially waved off medical staff before undergoing an evaluation in the sideline tent and heading to the locker room.

Darnold was officially listed as out just before halftime. He was subsequently transported to a local hospital on Wednesday night to undergo X-rays and a CT scan, followed by an MRI on Thursday morning, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

“It’s good news right now (on Darnold), at this point, we were able to rule out a fracture,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said in his postgame press conference. “He’ll have some more tests done. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam. We love him.”

Mike Macdonald, Seahawks head coach

Head coach Mike Macdonald delivered that encouraging update during his postgame press conference, noting that there’s some more tests to be done while emphasizing that ruling out a fracture was positive news.

Sam Darnold Exits Season Opener Against New England Patriots With Hip Injury

MRI Results and Expected Recovery Timeline

Thursday afternoon brought further clarity regarding the severity of the issue. ESPN reported that team doctors are still reviewing the morning MRI results to determine the exact duration of Darnold’s absence, though the organization believes it, as one source described, dodged a bullet given the initial impact. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added that Darnold is expected to miss next week’s game, but he should be back sooner, rather than later, and might be out just a few weeks.

The physical toll on the 29-year-old quarterback centered heavily on the force of his knee hitting the ground so hard during the sack. Darnold was a vital engine for Seattle’s offense following an impressive debut campaign in Seattle, where he threw for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in the regular season. He was even better in big games, including two key wins over the Rams, and threw for 346 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the NFC Championship before the defense led the way in the Super Bowl. His efficiency under center proved crucial in Klint Kubiak’s offense—with new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury expected to run many of the same concepts—posting a league-best 11.8 yards per attempt on those types of plays.

Mike Macdonald Says Sam Darnold Avoided Hip Fracture After Patriots Game

Drew Lock Steps In as Seattle Prepares for Week 2

With Darnold sidelined, veteran quarterback Drew Lock took over offensive duties on Wednesday night, helping guide the Seahawks to victory over New England. Lock entered the game for Seattle’s second drive and finished the contest completing 16-of-22 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown. Behind Lock on the depth chart is second-year signal-caller Jalen Milroe, who is also on Seattle’s 53-man roster as the emergency third quarterback, which means he can only play if Lock gets hurt, too. Because Seattle initially carried three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster, the team did not sign one to the practice squad, though that is expected to change in the days ahead.

An extended absence for Darnold would be a massive blow for Seattle. The Seahawks have gotten encouraging early returns from running back Jadarian Price, but with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III leaving for the Chiefs in free agency and Zach Charbonnet still recovering from a torn ACL, there’s not much experience in the running back room. Darnold’s efficiency also unlocked an Offensive Player of the Year-winning campaign from Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Lock made 21 starts across his first three seasons after being a second-round pick of the Broncos in 2019, but then he got shipped off to Seattle in the Russell Wilson trade. Lock lost the starting quarterback battle to Geno Smith, who ended up taking every snap of the season, before getting a short cameo in 2023 with Seattle and signing with the Giants in 2024, where he appeared in eight games (starting five) and threw six touchdowns and five interceptions. He returned to Seattle last year but attempted just three passes, entering the night 10-for-18 as a starter with a career completion percentage under 60% despite playing solidly and getting significant action this preseason.

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The Seahawks will be on the road to face the Cardinals in Week 2, looking to navigate the coming weeks without their starting quarterback.