Everyone's Freaking Out Over Sam Darnold's Sudden Injury News
Seattle paid $100.5 million for Sam Darnold, bum oblique and all, putting the season in his hands.
Everyone and their mother will be discussing the sudden Sam Darnold injury news if the Seahawks fail to pull off a win against the Niners.
Some think he’s on life support. Others believe he’ll be just fine.
Either way, answers are coming soon, and Darnold is shaping up as the perfect scapegoat for Seattle’s worst-case scenario.
Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
The timing and perceived severity of Darnold’s injury caught plenty of fans by surprise throughout the week, as Seattle suddenly slapped its QB1 on the injury report.
Backup Drew Locke handled first-team reps for most of the week, quietly putting the NFC’s top seed in jeopardy without much warning.
Straight from the horse’s mouth, Darnold insists he’ll be ready for Saturday’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Lumen Field. "I feel like I’ll be ready to go on Saturday," Darnold said.
So how bad is the news, really?
As it turns out, that first-round bye may have been worthless now that Seattle’s offensive crown jewel, not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba, could be seriously limited.
SEATTLE - Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks throws a pass during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers during a game at Lumen Field on September 7, 2025. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Injury leaves Darnold vulnerable to his worst tendencies as a quarterback, namely turnovers. The 28-year-old first-year Seahawk finished with 4,048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, the third-worst total in the league.
Those QB1 numbers are fairly lukewarm for a 14-3 team.
Darnold has proven to be more of a Tannehill than a Manning, so dialing back reliance on his arm may actually align with the formula Seattle leaned on all season.
Still, no team wants its starter injured on the doorstep of its first postseason game.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Darnold has not been throwing since receiving his injury designation Thursday. He’s been kept on ice, which asks whether that arm will be hot and ready, like a Little Caesars pie, by kickoff.
That uncertainty is exactly where San Francisco will try to live. Expect the Niners to test Darnold early with pressure up the middle, force quick throws and dare him to push the ball outside the numbers.
If the oblique limits his torque even slightly, Robert Saleh’s defense will smell blood. While signs point to Darnold, paid $100.5 million by Seattle, starting Saturday, his status remains a mystery until the first snap.
Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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