Mike Macdonald Gives Uncertain Timeline for Sam Darnold’s Return

Sam Darnold suffered a glute injury in Seattle opening day fixture against the Patriots.

Mike Macdonald Gives Uncertain Timeline for Sam Darnold’s Return

Sam Darnold (Image via IMAGO)

Sam Darnold‘s first game since lifting the Lombardi Trophy in February ended early last week. Drew Lock steadied the ship for the Seattle Seahawks.

Lock is a capable quarterback, but the Seahawks fans will breathe easy if Darnold starts under center. Unfortunately, the 29-year-old will not play in the Week 2 rivalry game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Reporters asked head coach Mike Macdonald for an update on Darnold’s return timeline.

[Sam Darnold’s] on his way back. Is it next week? Is it the week after, the week after that? I’m not sure. I’m optimistic, put it that way.

Mike Macdonald said
RELATED
Loud MVP Chants For Josh Allen in New Highmark Stadium Following Huge 5-TD Outing Against Lions

What happened to Sam Darnold?

Darnold looked rusty in the season’s first game. he completed one of two passes for 13 yards and took one sack, all in the first few plays. In one play, Darnold decided to tuck and run before a Patriots defender brought him down.

Mike Macdonald Gives Uncertain Timeline for Sam Darnold’s Return
Sam Darnold (Image via IMAGO)

The fall looked painful at first glance. Replays showed that his left leg got caught between the ground and his body, making it an awkward fall. Darnold stood back up and hobbled to the blue tent. Moments later, cameras caught him walking back inside the stadium tunnel.

He was taken to the nearby hospital for further checkup. Initially, a hip injury was suspected. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed its actual nature.

[Sam Darnold’s] dealing with a glute injury… essentially a muscle pull in his…butt. That is not expected to be major. Considering what this looked like [on Sept. 9], this is actually great, great news for Seattle.

Ian Rapoport said on Good Morning Football

Lock will deputize for the Seahawks in Darnold’s absence. And the former Missouri star deserves the opportunity. After Darnold left, Lock threw 16 completions for 187 yards and 1 touchdown pass to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seattle sneaked a 13-10 victory.

The Seahawks have now defeated the Patriots in consecutive games. These two teams faced each other in the Super Bowl. That day, Darnold completed 50% of his passes for 202 yards and threw the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end AJ Barner.

With Darnold under center, the Seahawks went 14-3 and secured the NFC number one seed. A 41-6 demolition of rivals San Francisco 49ers followed in the divisional round, setting up a blockbuster showdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the conference championship. Darnold threw for 25 completions, 346 yards, and 3 touchdowns, knocking the Rams out of Super Bowl contention.

Seattle’s defense stole the show in the final. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye turned the ball over three times, including two interceptions, and took 6 sacks. The Seahawks won their second championship in the club’s history.

Klint Kubiak, who called the offensive plays for the Seahawks, took the vacant head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Seahawks replaced Kubiak with former Niners pass game coordinator Brian Fleury. Fleury is Darnold’s eighth offensive coordinator since entering the league in 2018.

During the offseason, the Seahawks switched hands. Previous owners, the Paul Allen Estate, put the franchise up for sale. In August, the Khosla family paid a record-setting $9.612 billion to purchase the Seahawks.

Darnold began his NFL career as the New York Jets’ 3rd overall draft pick. Three years and 38 games later, the Jets traded him to the Carolina Panthers. In 2023, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers and made it to the Super Bowl, which they lost.

The following year, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He won the starter’s job after rookie JJ McCarthy was ruled out for the rest of the year. The Vikings went 14-3. For the first time in his career, Darnold threw 361 passes for 4319 yards and 35 touchdowns. However, his first-ever playoff game as a starter ended with a 27-9 defeat. He took 9 sacks, lost the ball once, and threw one interception.

In 2025, the Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year contract worth $100.5 million. He won a ring.

Also Read: