Sam Darnold Injury Update: Seahawks Rule Out QB vs. Cardinals

The Seattle Seahawks have already ruled quarterback Sam Darnold out for their Week 2 contest against the Arizona Cardinals due to a hip injury he suffered in the season opener against the New England Patriots.

This isn't a massive surprise, given that the Seahawks have likely ruled him out for multiple weeks. With Darnold on the sidelines, Drew Lock is expected to draw the start.

Coach Mike Macdonald says the obvious, that Sam Darnold won’t play Sunday at Arizona. Drew Lock is starting.#Seahawks cool with rolling with two quarterbacks, Lock and Jalen Milroe?

Coach says yes. pic.twitter.com/LcgWA2iVSF
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) September 16, 2026

Sam Darnold Sits, But No IR Stint Coming

The worst was assumed for the Seahawks when Darnold went down with an injury during the team's opening drive against the Patriots. The Seahawks were able to avoid a major injury, but it's still going to cost Darnold some time, beginning with the game against the Cardinals.

The Seahawks still feel Darnold is their best chance of winning, but they are confident in Locke's ability to step up to the plate. Lock has 28 starts in his career, dating back to 2019, when he was a second-round pick out of Missouri by the Denver Broncos.

Most of his starts have come in a Broncos uniform, but he made two starts for the Seahawks when he was Geno Smith's backup during the 2023 season. He went 1-1, picking up a win in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but lost the week prior against the San Francisco 49ers.

This is the first time in his career that Lock will face off against the Cardinals. It's a divisional game, which ramps up the intensity, but the Seahawks feel confident in moving forward with him.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was asked whether the team would sign another quarterback or add someone to the practice squad, but they are sticking with Lock and second-year pro Jalen Milroe, who will serve as the backup.

The Seahawks could import Milroe into a special package to throw the Cardinals defense off, but the team should primarily run plays with Lock under center.

This is a winnable game for the Seahawks, but the Cardinals will try to take advantage of Seattle with its backup quarterback.

Kickoff between the Seahawks and Cardinals is scheduled for Sunday at 1:25 p.m. PT inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Fans can watch the game on FOX or stream it on the NFL+ app.

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