Seahawks QB Sam Darnold to undergo MRI following hip injury

The Seattle Seahawks managed to secure a victory last night but lost starting quarterback Sam Darnold to a hip injury in the process. It remains to be seen how long he will be sidelined. Darnold went down during Seattle’s opening possession and was initially listed as questionable to return with a right hip injury before being ruled out. Veteran backup Drew Lock took over QB duties for the remainder of the contest, helping the defending Super Bowl champions secure a 13-10 win over New England.

Following the game, head coach Mike Macdonald stated that they have ruled out a fracture, which he called great news, though more tests are still to be done. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that a CT scan was performed to rule out a fracture, but that evaluation proved inconclusive for a full diagnosis. As a result, Darnold is scheduled to undergo an MRI today. Both the team and the player hope to gain further clarity on his Week 2 status afterward.

Upon taking over Seattle’s offense, Lock completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards. He connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-one play and avoided committing turnovers. That proved crucial in the low-scoring matchup, but the Seahawks’ passing game would undoubtedly suffer a significant blow if Darnold were to miss an extended period of time.

During his debut campaign in Seattle, Darnold proved to be a strong replacement for Geno Smith. His turnover-free postseason run played a vital role in Seattle’s Super Bowl success. The 29-year-old quarterback is under contract for the next two seasons, carrying a 2026 cap charge of $37.9 million. Much of the Seahawks' offseason focused on retaining their 2025 championship core, with Darnold expected to provide crucial offensive stability. His recovery status is now a key development to watch closely.