Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a glute tendon injury during Wednesday’s season-opening win over the New England Patriots. While initial fears pointed to a season-ending hip socket fracture, team officials have ruled out a break, though Darnold faces a multi-game absence while seeking four separate medical opinions.
Opening-Drive Injury and Early Medical Scares Against New England
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury that knocked him out of Seattle’s season opener against the New England Patriots on Wednesday night, a potentially significant blow to the Super Bowl champions’ title defense. Darnold was sacked on Seattle’s first series by Dre’Mont Jones, and the quarterback’s right leg appeared to take the brunt of the impact as Jones drove him to the turf. Darnold limped off the field, was examined in the sideline medical tent and then limped to the locker room.
The Seahawks initially said Darnold was questionable, then announced before halftime that he would not return. Backup Drew Lock replaced him and went 16 of 22 for 187 yards and a touchdown as the Seahawks rallied for a 13-10 victory. Darnold’s injury was a deflating early moment for Seattle in the rematch of last season’s Super Bowl, in which the Seahawks beat the Patriots 29-13. Initially, they actually thought he fractured that hip socket, which would have put him out for the year, according to FOX Sports reporting.
Unraveling the Diagnosis: A Glute Tendon Injury Rather Than a Fracture
Coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold didn’t break any bones while adding that more tests were needed. At this point we were able to rule out a fracture,
Macdonald said, calling the initial diagnosis “positive.”
.jpg?w=1120&h=630 "Photo: Bleacher Report")
Darnold exiting Wednesday’s win over the Patriots with the injury he suffered on the team’s opening possession overshadowed much of the game, at least from the Seahawks’ perspective. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Darnold will miss probably a couple games
before adding, they've been calling it a hip injury. My understanding is that it's actually a glute injury. So Darnold hurt his butt. It's a muscular injury not considered to be major.
FOX Sports similarly reported that instead, there is a tendon injury in the glute.
Four Second Opinions and a Missing Timeline for Week 2
Via Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Seattle is gathering four second opinions
regarding the injury suffered on Wednesday night by quarterback Sam Darnold. The purpose of the multitude of opinions is to determine Darnold’s expected absence, along with devising the plan of attack for getting him back to full strength.
They’re gathering four second opinions to figure out exactly what the timetable will be, and what the plan of attack will be. He’s gonna miss next week, but we have no idea after that,
Glazer said on FOX NFL Sunday.
For now, Darnold will miss the Week 2 game at Arizona, and even if that means missing the next two games at the Arizona Cardinals and at the Washington Commanders, his availability beyond that remains to be seen. Drew Lock presumably will be the starter in Darnold’s absence; the Seahawks also have 2025 third-rounder Jalen Milroe on the roster.
Drew Lock Stepping In and Keeping the Offense Afloat
Down 10-3 in the fourth quarter, Lock hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth-and-1, and the star receiver dashed to the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown. Seattle also relied on its stout defense and picked off Drake Maye three times, including one from Josh Jobe in the end zone in the final seconds to clinch the win.
It's tough losing (Darnold). I mean, he's the head of the snake, but we have each other's backs,
Smith-Njigba said. We fully trust in Drew Lock to come in and do his thing, done it time and time again. So we just have to have each other's backs.
In the moment, I mean, you're hurting for Sam, obviously,
receiver Cooper Kupp said. But in the moment, you got to find ways to move forward and figure out how to go out there and win a football game.
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