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Sam Darnold Returns to Start vs Commanders

By Drooid · Sep 26, 2026, 2:50 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Sam Darnold Starts

Sam Darnold will start Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
Coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold looks good in practice and is ready to play.
Darnold suffered a glute injury five snaps into the season opener on Sept. 9 and missed Week 2.
Washington will be without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who dislocated his left elbow.
Safety Julian Love is out with a calf injury.

Summary

Commanders Host Seattle

The Commanders host Seattle at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, kicking off 1:00 p.m. EDT.
Joe Davis will call the game with analyst Greg Olsen and sideline reporter Pam Oliver.
Defensive coordinator Daronte Jones will scheme the secondary to contain Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Safety Odafe Oweh warned the defense must end its turnover drought after two games.
Seattle’s defense is expected to dominate, with Nick Emmanwori nearing a 100 % participation rate.

History

Historical Context

After Jon Kitna started 15 games in 1999, the Seahawks reached the playoffs for the first time since 1984, and Matt Hasselbeck took over as starter in 2001, proving the value of a capable backup. The 2024 season repeats that pattern, as Sam Darnold’s glute strain and Jayden Daniels’ elbow injury force coaches to reshuffle schemes, underscoring the league’s ongoing reliance on quarterback depth.

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Sam Darnold Starts

Sam Darnold will start Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
Coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold looks good in practice and is ready to play.
Darnold suffered a glute injury five snaps into the season opener on Sept. 9 and missed Week 2.
Washington will be without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who dislocated his left elbow.
Safety Julian Love is out with a calf injury.

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