Seahawks rookie Clark breaks ankle in preseason

Seattle Seahawks rookie safety Bud Clark suffered a broken ankle during the team's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night, August 23, 2026, a significant setback for the second-round draft pick. Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed the injury after the game, stating Clark is expected to be sidelined for multiple months.

The injury occurred just minutes into the first quarter. Clark, who had been competing for a safety spot, played only one defensive snap before going down. Broadcast footage showed trainers attending to his lower leg near the ankle as he was in visible pain. Players from both teams knelt in a show of respect, and members of both sidelines came over to offer support. Clark was eventually carted off the field with an air cast on his lower leg.

"It's not easy to get the team back into the game after something like that," Macdonald said, adding that the entire team went out to support Clark. "I think that tells you what everybody thinks about him."

Clark was drafted 64th overall out of TCU and had been competing with Ty Okada for the starting safety role alongside Julian Love. Okada entered camp as the frontrunner, but Clark was expected to have a...