SEATTLE — Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was ruled out of Wednesday night’s 13-10 win over the New England Patriots with a hip injury he sustained on the game’s opening drive at Lumen Field.
Darnold was sacked on third down by New England outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, who spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Seattle. Darnold landed on his right knee. He was examined in the sideline medical tent and limped to the locker room as the Seahawks took the field for their second possession. The team’s radio broadcast identified the injury as being to his right hip.
Seattle listed Darnold as questionable to return before downgrading him to out shortly before halftime. New England led 7-0 at that point.
Darnold finished 1 of 2 for 13 yards across four plays, with the completion going 13 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said at halftime that the team had gotten good news back on Darnold.
“At this point, we were able to rule out a fracture,” Macdonald said, per The Associated Press. “So, there’s some more tests to be done, so that’s what I’m saying, [that] it’s positive. We’re still working through all that, but right now I think fracture is out.”
Sam Darnold Is Scheduled For an MRI On Thursday
Darnold was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for a CT scan, which came back encouraging but inconclusive, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The MRI is set for Thursday.
Seattle signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract in March 2025 after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
In 2025, Darnold completed 323 of 477 attempts for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, with a 99.1 passer rating. He started all 17 games and made his second consecutive Pro Bowl as Seattle went 14-3 and beat New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX.
Darnold went 14-3 as Minnesota’s starter in 2024 before doing the same in Seattle, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to win 14 regular-season games in consecutive seasons with different teams. According to ESPN Research, his 17 wins including the playoffs were the most by a quarterback in his first season with a team.
Drew Lock Took Over With Jalen Milroe As the Emergency Third Quarterback
Drew Lock completed 16 of 22 attempts for 187 yards, 1 touchdown, and no interceptions in relief.
Seattle did not need to change its game plan with Lock in, in Macdonald’s read at halftime.
“We got to pick him up. We got faith in Drew, and he’s settled into the game now, so we should be able to execute our game plan,” Macdonald explained. “But that’s why we say 12 as one. We’ve got to pick him up.”
The Seahawks did not score until the third quarter. Lock hit Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown with 11:38 left in the fourth quarter, and the extra point tied the game at 10. Seattle went ahead on a 26-yard field goal with 5:53 to play. The defense intercepted three passes and held New England scoreless over the final two quarters.
Smith-Njigba played high school football at Rockwall. He led the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,709 on 113 catches, adding 10 touchdowns, and was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Lock, 29, entered the night 10-18 as a starter across seven NFL seasons. He signed a two-year, $5 million contract in March 2025, and he appeared in five games last season while Darnold started every week, completing 3 of 5 attempts for 15 yards.
Jalen Milroe was designated pregame as the emergency third quarterback, which placed him among the inactives while leaving him dressed and available had both Darnold and Lock gone down. Seattle drafted Milroe out of Alabama at No. 92 overall in 2025.
Seattle finished with 285 yards on 48 plays and committed 10 penalties for 98 yards.
The Seahawks play at the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 20 at 3:25 p.m. CT.
