Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold sustained an "unusual muscle strain" in his hip area during the team's season opener, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday, September 10. While the team initially feared a fractured hip socket, coach Mike Macdonald announced after a 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots that a fracture had been ruled out. Macdonald stated that Darnold’s status for the upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals remains undetermined.
The injury occurred during the first quarter on Wednesday, September 9, when Darnold was sacked by New England's Dre’Mont Jones. Darnold, 29, is coming off a season where he completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns, leading Seattle to a Super Bowl victory. He is currently in the first year of a three-year, $100 million contract signed after a 2024 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock replaced Darnold during the game, completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown to help erase a 10-0 deficit. Pelissero reported that Lock is the likely starter for the Week 2 matchup on September 20. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Darnold is expected to miss the game against Arizona but could return within a few weeks, as the team is not currently considering placing him on injured reserve (IR).
The decision not to place Darnold on injured reserve—a designation that typically requires a player to miss multiple games—allows the Seahawks to evaluate his recovery on a week-to-week basis. The front office has not moved to sign a replacement, such as retired former Seahawk Russell Wilson, whose name had been raised in outside speculation.
The impact involves a $100 million investment in Darnold and the team's attempt to defend its championship title. For the Seahawks' coaching staff, the immediate change is a shift in offensive leadership to Lock, who holds a career starting record of 10-18 with 34 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Because the season opener was held on a Wednesday, Darnold has 11 days of recovery time before the next scheduled game on Sunday, September 20.
The team will rely on its internal depth rather than seeking a short-term veteran acquisition. This allows the Seahawks to maintain their current 53-man roster structure while waiting for the injury results to be fully reviewed by the medical staff. The next milestones for the team include the official injury report release and the Week 2 kickoff in Arizona on September 20.