Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Injured in Season Opener

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury during the opening drive of the NFL season opener against the New England Patriots on Wednesday night, September 9, 2026, forcing him out of the game and placing his team's Super Bowl title defense on uncertain footing. The injury occurred on a third-down play near midfield when Patriots defensive lineman DreMont Jones sacked Darnold. The quarterback was seen limping off the field and was subsequently evaluated in the sideline medical tent before heading to the locker room for further examination. Initially, the Seahawks announced Darnold was questionable to return with a hip injury. Later in the game, the team announced Darnold had been ruled out. He underwent X-rays and was scheduled for additional testing offsite. Backup quarterback Drew Lock replaced Darnold to begin Seattle's second offensive possession. Lock, who appeared in five games for the Seahawks last season, is expected to take over under center as long as Darnold is sidelined. Darnold, 28, was instrumental in leading the Seahawks to their Super Bowl LX victory last season, where they defeated the Patriots 29-13.