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Sam Darnold suffered an apparent injury on the Seattle Seahawks' first drive of the 2026 NFL season.
The injury occurred at the end of Seattle's first drive. Darnold was sacked by edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones, who jumped on him from behind to push him to the ground.
Darnold was able to get up after the play, but he was seen limping lightly as he left the field. The 29-year-old quarterback didn't immediately seek medical attention after leaving the field, but he eventually made his way into the blue medical tent for further evaluation.
Drew Lock was spotted warming up on the sideline while Darnold was receiving medical attention. He entered the game in Darnold's
stead ahead of Seattle's second drive.
Meanwhile, Darnold was taken to the locker room for further evaluation.
Sam Darnold injury update
The Seahawks announced Darnold was "questionable" to return to the team's Week 1 game because of a hip injury.
Darnold completed 1 of 2 passes for 13 yards and was sacked once before exiting the game.
What happened to Sam Darnold?
Darnold was injured after being sacked by Jones on Seattle's first offensive drive of the game. The 29-year-old quarterback was brought down from behind and landed hard on his right side as he came to the ground.
Below is a look at the play that left the 29-year-old quarterback hobbled.
Who is the Seahawks' backup QB?
Drew Lock is the Seahawks' backup quarterback. The 29-year-old has spent four of the last five seasons in Seattle, appearing in nine games with two starts and completing 63.3% of his passes for 558 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Lock was originally a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has a career record of 10-18 in 28 career starts and has completed 59.6% of his career passes for 6,369 yards, 34 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
Seahawks QB depth chart
The Seahawks have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Below is a look at the pecking order within that unit:
- Sam Darnold
- Drew Lock
- Jalen Milroe
Lock entered the game to replace Darnold and Milroe, the team's emergency third-string quarterback, would be next in line for snaps if Lock is hurt. The Alabama product was a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft but played sparingly as a rookie, logging three carries for four yards while attempting zero passes.
Milroe can enter Wednesday's game only if both Darnold and Lock are injured and ruled out for the remainder of the game. He is otherwise inactive.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sam Darnold injury update: Seahawks QB injures hip, leaves game vs. Patriots
