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Sam Darnold to miss Week 2 with hip injury

By Drooid · Sep 11, 2026, 1:27 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Darnold Injured

Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury on the opening drive of the September 9, 2026 season opener.
Coach Mike Macdonald said scans ruled out a fracture and indicated a muscular injury.
Insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported Darnold will miss Week 2 versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock threw 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in Seattle’s 13-10 win.

Summary

Darnold Breaks Records

Sam Darnold joins six quarterbacks with Bowl wins and uniquely won a title with his fifth team.
Sam Darnold and Tom Brady are the only quarterbacks to win 14 games as starters in consecutive seasons.
The September 9 primetime opener rematched February’s Super Bowl and resulted in a 29-13 Seattle victory.
Sam Darnold was the Jets’ third-overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Southern California.

History

Historical Context

In September 2008, Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL on the Patriots’ season-opening drive, forcing his immediate withdrawal from play. The New England Patriots, coached by Bill Belichick, missed Brady for 16 games yet still posted an 11-5 record, illustrating depth resilience. Sam Darnold’s September 9, 2026 hip strain mirrors Brady’s 2008 setback, as both quarterbacks missed crucial early-season contests for Seattle and New England respectively. The recurrence underscores the NFL’s ongoing challenge to protect elite signal-callers, prompting teams to prioritize backup readiness and medical protocols.

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Darnold Injured

Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury on the opening drive of the September 9, 2026 season opener.
Coach Mike Macdonald said scans ruled out a fracture and indicated a muscular injury.
Insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported Darnold will miss Week 2 versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock threw 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in Seattle’s 13-10 win.

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