Ryan Clark shares wildly laughable take on Sam Darnold's oblique injury

The Seattle Seahawks (14-3) officially kick off their playoff run on Saturday night as they host the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. This playoff game can be the make-or-break game for the Seahawks as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Seattle was able to clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed, but a playoff win would further vindicate the Seahawks’ successful season.

The Seahawks will face the 49ers for the third time this season, but this time, in the Divisional Round. San Francisco is coming off a 23-19 road win over the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles. This was a big win for the 49ers, but it comes at a cost. The 49ers lost star tight end George Kittle to an Achilles tear.

Seattle has the tools and the experience to beat San Francisco again. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers two weeks ago thanks to a dominant performance from their defense and their rushing offense.

There is a chance the Seahawks could accomplish it again on Saturday, but new concerns with an oblique injury to quarterback Sam Darnold have surfaced. He has reportedly suffered a minor spot in his non-throwing shoulder, and he expects to play, potentially at his full capacity.

This game has a lot of pressure on Darrnold, who is one of two quarterbacks to not have a playoff win out of the remaining teams in the postseason. Darnold doesn’t have a great past, along with one other playoff appearance last season with the Minnesota Vikings.

Sam Darnold when he was with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. — Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) reacts as he walks off the field after losing to the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

He has an even less respectable image with major media outlets, as he is often described as turnover-prone and a liability to the Seahawks. Among them is ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, who went on the offensive on Darnold on Friday’s First Take segment.

"It sounds like the setup for an excuse. It sounds like the things that you say before a game when you don't play well. When the throws aren't where they're supposed to be. Everybody can point back and say, 'but you have to remember he didn't get those first-team reps and his oblique was tight on Thursday.'

This is a lot of blaming and finger-pointing for a game that hasn’t happened yet. If this injury report is just a sign of precaution, then it should be taken as such, but Clark has no problem holding onto the narrative that Darnold can’t deliver in big games. He says not only will Darnold fail, but he is also challenging his mental toughness.

Darnold literally said that he is doing everything he can to play, and he says he is close to zero on not playing. He has shown a strong mental drive by overcoming adversity through being placed on bad teams with bad development. It is clear that Clark has forgotten what it is like to be a player and joined the criticism-hot take crew that many of the First Take crew love to utilize.

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