The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are on a mission to repeat. But they know that mission is about the long haul. Trying to stack two Lombardi Trophies in a row is a marathon, not a sprint. That's why they're taking their time with starting quarterback Sam Darnold, who suffered a glute injury during Seattle's Week 1 win over the New England Patriots.
Darnold will miss the Seahawks' Week 2 matchup with their NFC West rival, the Arizona Cardinals. And for the time being, even though Darnold is clearly in the midst of an extended absence, the Seahawks have no plans to place him on injured reserve.
That is a clear sign they expect him back soon. For all intents and purposes, they are just making it a priority to allow him to rest as
much as possible.
“Sam Darnold is recovering faster than anticipated. There’s a pretty good chance he could be back at practice in some form or fashion this week.”
— Brian Nemhauser (@hawkblogger) September 20, 2026
Per @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/XX7Hs8COJO
Should Darnold be good to go next, he'll be set for the Seahawks' road date with the Washington Commanders. If the Seahawks elect to give Darnold another week, he'll probably be back for their home matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers in early October. Whatever the case, everything seems to be going swimmingly with Darnold's recovery, and the Seahawks don't appear to be that concerned.
Who is Sam Darnold's backup on the Seahawks?
Drew Lock is listed as Darnold's backup on the Seahawks depth chart. Lock is in his seventh NFL season and fourth with the Seahawks.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When is Sam Darnold coming back to the Seahawks?
