The Seattle Seahawks' outlook for their 2026 season was almost entirely changed in an instant on Wednesday night. On their opening drive against the New England Patriots, quarterback Sam Darnold injured his hip while getting sacked on third down. Darnold limped off the field and into the blue medical tent, then later to the locker room. He did not return.
After the game, head coach Mike Macdonald gave an initial update on his star quarterback, saying the team had received "positive news" about his hip. Seattle felt they could rule out a fracture, but the severity would be dependent upon an MRI on Thursday. Now we have a better idea.
Darnold has completed his MRI, and while the Seahawks' team doctors are still assessing how much time he will have
to miss, the feeling remains positive. According to sources, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Seahawks believe they "dodged a bullet."
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold underwent an MRI on his hip this morning that team doctors still are reviewing to determine how much time he will miss. It is expected to be some, but for now the team believes it, as one source described, “dodged a bullet.” pic.twitter.com/w3SIU8pi7x
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 10, 2026
The Seahawks have a reasonably favorable schedule over the next few weeks. They have back-to-back road games against the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders, before returning home to face the Los Angeles Chargers. While the games against the Commanders and Chargers won't be "gimmes" by any stretch of the imagination, they are still more than winnable, especially given how stout the Seahawks' defense is.
For now, it looks like we'll be getting the Drew Lock show. Lock performed admirably against the Patriots, completing 16-of-22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. He outplayed the MVP runner up in Drake Maye to a preposterous degree, and helped the Seahawks survive with a 13-10 win.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Sam Darnold injury update: Seahawks believe they "dodged a bullet"
