At the end of the first drive of the first game of the 2026 season, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold limped off the field. He didn't seem to be too injured at first, but then he appeared to get worse the longer he was on the sideline.
He then headed to the locker room and was listed as questionable to return with a hip injury. In his place, Drew Lock took over, but the team was completely trusting of him on his first drive. Seattle tried to run the ball for a first down, but did so ineffectively.
Lock was solid in the preseason, but that was mostly against other teams' starters. Against a good New England Patriots defense, things began differently. Perhaps Darnold could return, but he was more likely to be out for at least a few more series, if not the entire rest of the game.
Seattle Seahawks lose Sam Darnold in the first quarter of Week 1 and his timeline to return is unknown
Jalen Milroe would move up to QB2 with Darnold out of the game, and while Milroe was listed as inactive for Week 1, teams can move an inactive QB to active as needed. Milroe could be needed.
Sam Darnold has a hip injury. He's questionable to return.
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) September 10, 2026
While this post will be updated as more information is announced, the scary part would be if Sam Darnold suffered a more serious injury than the one that first appeared. Part of his success comes from being able to avoid a pass rush and pick up first downs with his legs. If he has a hip injury, he would obviously be limited in what his ceiling is.
The Seattle Seahawks have had serious injury concerns already heading into the 2026 season, as star defensive back Nick Emmanwori was ruled out for the game against the Patriots after having ankle surgery in July. His absence affects the defense, of course, but Darnold's long-term absence would hurt the team's drive to defend its Super Bowl title from last year.
Lock started one game in 2020 against the Patriots, and he did meh while his team won the game. That was when Lock was with his first team, the Denver Broncos. Lock was 10-of-24 passing with two interceptions. Of course, Lock is with a new team now, and the rosters for both have changed.
Still, Lock is a safer bet than Milroe, who hasn't yet gotten many memorable reps in the NFL. The three he had in 2025 all failed, including a fumble that helped lead to a Seahawks loss in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sam Darnold hasn't had a significant injury in several years. He appears to heal quickly. The Seahawks will likely need him to.
Darnold past injuries include:
- Left ankle injury, August 2022: Missed the early portion of the season with the Carolina Panthers
- Right shoulder injury, November 2021: Missed five games with the Panthers
- Right shoulder sprain, November 2020: Missed multiple games
- Mononucleosis, September 2019: Missed three games
- Pedal foot sprain, November 2018: Missed three games
Update: According to ESPN's Brady Henderson, Darnold was ruled out for the rest of the game just before halftime.
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