Sam Darnold Injury Update: Seahawks QB Will Not Return After Leaving With Hip Injury

Update: The NBC broadcast confirmed Darnold is out for the game. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald spoke about the team having to "pick him up," referring to Darnold, and noted Drew Lock had gotten comfortable as the game continued.

Football is back as the Seattle Seahawks are in action against the New England Patriots in Week 1. It's just not the start the Seahawks hoped for.

Quarterback Sam Darnold left the game in the first quarter after a sack due to what was reported to be a hip injury. Drew Lock replaced Darnold, and remained in the game in the first half.

Initially, Darnold went to the sideline and wasn't receiving attention. That changed during the Patriots' ensuing drive, as Darnold went to the blue medical tent with an apparent leg injury.

The opening drive for Darnold and the Seahawks was promising, as they had a 13-yard run by Jadarian Price to begin the game, followed by a 13-yard completion 2025 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

A nine-yard run by George Holani set them up with a second-and-one, but then a penalty and an incompletion set them up with third-and-six, when Darnold went down.

Sam Darnold getting X-rays

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold takes the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Darnold initially waived off the training staff and tried to loosen things up on the sideline. Eventually, he gave in and went to the tent. Shortly after that, he walked to the locker room on his own power, but his return is questionable due to a hip injury.

.@Seahawks injury update: QB Sam Darnold is Questionable (hip).
— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) September 10, 2026

Over the past two seasons, Darnold has been very durable. He played in all 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, followed by all 17 games plus the postseason for the Seahawks.

Drew Lock gives Seahawks plenty of experience

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock stands in the pocket against the Tennessee Titans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle will always prefer their starter, especially since Darnold is the one who led them to a title. That said, they have the luxury of turning to a backup with plenty of experience.

A second-round pick for the Denver Broncos in 2019, Lock has appeared in 41 games with 28 starts. He's 10-18 in his career as a starter, and 1-1 for the Seahawks, with both of those starts coming during the 2023 season.

Lock has completed 59.6 percent of his attempts for 6,369 yards with 34 touchdown passes and 28 interceptions. He's in his second stint with Seattle, originally being sent to the Seahawks as part of the Russell Wilson trade in 2022. He played for the New York Giants in 2024 before returning to Seattle in 2025.

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