The Seattle Seahawks are currently taking on the New England Patriots in the 2026 season opener.
The hope is that the Seahawks can prove their Super Bowl win wasn’t a fluke and that they’re a true contender again this year. Unfortunately, the game could not have gotten off to a much worse start for the defending champs.
In the first quarter, Sam Darnold took an awkward fall and suffered a hip injury. The quarterback was originally taken to the blue tent, but he was then taken back to the locker room shortly after.
We soon found out that it was a hip injury that Darnold suffered, and he’s officially questionable to return to the contest.
With Darnold out, the Seahawks are turning to veteran Drew Lock. We’re waiting for word on whether or not Darnold will return, and every fan is holding their breath.
Darnold Injury Would Be Devastating for Seahawks
Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
It goes without saying, but a Darnold injury would be devastating for the Seahawks. Even though the team boasts one of the best overall rosters in the league, nobody is equipped to deal with losing their franchise quarterback.
Fans of the Seahawks already know this, but this isn’t the Darnold of old. No quarterback in the league has won more games than Darnold over the last two years, and the quarterback has thrown for 4,000 yards and earned Pro Bowl selections in two straight seasons.
It’s also clear that Darnold just fits this team perfectly. The quarterback has the arm to hit Rashid Shaheed on deep balls and has great chemistry with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. It wouldn’t matter who the backup was; it would be a big dropoff from the way Darnold has played.
If Darnold’s injury is serious, it’s hard to think of the Seahawks as a true Super Bowl contender. The defense and ground game should be good enough to win several games, but the ceiling of the offense would be drastically reduced.
As mentioned above, the Seahawks are turning to Lock while Darnold is out. Lock last received starts in 2024 with the Giants, and that stint did not go well. Lock went 1-4 in five starts and threw six touchdowns and five interceptions.
In 2025, Lock saw time in five games and only attempted three passes. It can’t be overstated how much of a downgrade it is to go from a guy who has made two straight Pro Bowls to a guy who hasn’t started in almost two years.
Obviously, the hope is that this is much ado about nothing, and Darnold comes back quickly. Right now, the Seahawks are trying to knock off the Patriots without their star passer.
