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Sam Darnold Expected to Miss Week 2, Return Week 3

By Drooid · Sep 15, 2026, 2:30 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Sam Darnold Out

Sam Darnold suffered a unique soft-tissue glute injury in Week 1.
Team doctors said the injury does not affect his hip joint.
Seattle expects Darnold to miss the Week 2 game at Arizona on Sunday.
Coaches say Darnold could return by Week 3 versus Washington on Sept. 27.
The team has not placed Darnold on injured reserve nor signed extra quarterbacks.

Summary

Lock Studies Whiteboard

Drew Lock studied a bedroom whiteboard covered with his son’s drawings before the game.
He completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers in the opener.
Head coach Mike Macdonald praised Lock’s preparation as starter-like.
Teammates said Lock brings calm confidence and focus to the quarterback room while Darnold is absent.

History

Historical Context

After Tom Brady’s season-ending ACL tear in Week 1 of 2008, Bill Belichick turned to backup Matt Cassel, who steered New England to an 11-5 record but missed the playoffs. That same reliance on a prepared understudy reappears today as Seattle leans on Drew Lock while Sam Darnold recovers, underscoring the league’s growing emphasis on quarterback depth.

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Sam Darnold Out

Sam Darnold suffered a unique soft-tissue glute injury in Week 1.
Team doctors said the injury does not affect his hip joint.
Seattle expects Darnold to miss the Week 2 game at Arizona on Sunday.
Coaches say Darnold could return by Week 3 versus Washington on Sept. 27.
The team has not placed Darnold on injured reserve nor signed extra quarterbacks.

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