Injuries to Darnold and Brown Mar NFL Season Opener

The NFL season opened on Wednesday night with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, a low-scoring contest overshadowed by injuries to two prominent players. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold exited after the opening drive with a hip injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the game, while Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown left in the third quarter with a high ankle sprain. Darnold's injury is not believed to be severe, but it could keep him out for close to a month, according to fantasy football analysis published after the game. His absence thrust Drew Lock into the starting role, and Seattle appeared to lean toward the run with Lock under center, calling 22 passes to 20 rushes during his time in the game. Brown, acquired by New England this offseason in a trade that sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Seattle, saw X-rays come back without a fracture, but a high ankle sprain is still expected to cost him time. His departure appeared to affect the Patriots offense, as quarterback Drake Maye threw three late interceptions after Brown exited.