Sam Darnold's Hip Injury Is a Muscle Strain, Not a Fracture, After Seahawks' 13-10 Win Over Patriots

Sam Darnold's night ended five plays into the Seahawks' season opener, and for a few tense hours it looked like it might have ended his season too. It didn't. Coach Mike Macdonald confirmed the hip injury that knocked Darnold out of Seattle's 13-10 comeback win over the New England Patriots is a muscle strain rather than a fracture, a diagnosis that let the Seahawks exhale after a scary sequence on their opening drive of the year.

Darnold went down on third down when Patriots pass rusher Dre'Mont Jones, a former Seahawk, brought him to the turf on the final play of Seattle's first possession. Darnold's knee came down awkwardly and something in his hip area gave out. He limped to the sideline medical tent, went to the locker room, and never returned. He finished 1 for 2 for 13 yards.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Darnold was taken to Harborview Medical Center for a CT scan to help doctors gauge how serious the injury was. Macdonald addressed reporters after the game with cautious optimism. "With Sam, we got some great news back," Macdonald said. "Let's just say it's good news right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam. We love him, and the guys really pulled through for him." He added that the scan had ruled out a fracture, calling that "great news" while noting more testing remained.

From hip scare to gluteal strain

By Thursday, Macdonald had more clarity, telling reporters the injury is a muscle strain near the hip and that Darnold's availability for Seattle's Week 2 trip to Arizona on Sept. 20 was still undetermined. A radio report on "The Gregg Bell Show" on KJR later described the injury more specifically as a soft-tissue strain in Darnold's gluteal muscle, not damage to the hip joint, ligaments or bone. One report indicated the Seahawks do not plan to place Darnold on injured reserve and intend to keep him on the active roster while team physicians check his progress at the start of the week.

That distinction matters. A gluteal strain is the kind of injury a starting quarterback can play through once it calms down, not the kind that threatens a season. Given how deliberately the team has approached Darnold's recovery this week, holding him out of an early practice window rather than rushing him back, the more prudent read is that Seattle is buying time rather than bracing for a long absence.

Lock delivers in relief

Drew Lock stepped in and eventually delivered the game's defining moment. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, including a 45-yard scoring strike to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth-and-1 that pulled Seattle even in the fourth quarter. The offense had been stuck behind a 10-0 deficit for three quarters before that throw changed the tenor of the night.

"It was a blast," Lock said. "So proud of everyone around me tonight on the offensive side of the ball. I can't say enough about the defense turning over the ball." Smith-Njigba echoed the same theme about the team's response to a slow start. "We knew coming in, it was going to be a four-quarter game, and that's who we are," he said. "We're going to fight. We knew it's going to be a dogfight, and we love it."

The defense made sure Lock's fourth-down connection stood up. Seattle intercepted Patriots quarterback Drake Maye three times in the fourth quarter, with Josh Jobe sealing the win with a toe-tapping interception in the end zone on New England's final possession. Maye, last season's MVP runner-up, did not mince words about the final pick. "I was trying to get rid of it, and I realized Mack was back there in the back and I didn't put enough on it to get it out," Maye said. "It was unacceptable."

• Final score: Seahawks 13, Patriots 10
• Drew Lock: 16 of 22 passing, 187 yards, 1 touchdown
• Sam Darnold: 1 of 2 passing, 13 yards before exiting
• Seahawks defense: three interceptions of Drake Maye in the fourth quarter

Macdonald had nothing but praise for his backup afterward, joking about a reward for Lock's performance. "I should have gave him a game ball. He'll get one tomorrow. He'll get something of mine. Maybe a belt," Macdonald said. "We love him. We love Drew. Guys love him. He's just a Seahawk through and through, man."

What's next at Arizona

Lock is expected to start at Arizona in Week 2, with second-year quarterback Jalen Milroe set to serve as the backup behind him. Safety Nick Emmanwori was already ruled inactive for the opener because of an ankle injury, having had surgery on it in July, so Seattle heads into the Cardinals game already managing more than one absence on defense as well.

Darnold, 29, did not miss a game last season, throwing for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while leading Seattle to a franchise-record 14 wins and a Super Bowl title. Losing him for even one week is a real cost, but a muscle strain that has already been separated from anything structural gives the Seahawks a much better outlook than the alarm of Wednesday night suggested. The safer approach now is patience, and it looks like Seattle is choosing exactly that.

More Info

• On the Sidelines S2E32: Seahawks win without Sam Darnold | FOX 13 Seattle Sports
• Sam Darnold Update: Seattle Seahawks Avoid Major Hip Injury But Likely Out For Week 2 Clash In Arizona | sundayguardianlive.com
• The Gregg Bell Show (93.3 KJR): Sam Darnold's soft-tissue injury and why Seahawks think he'll return quickly | The Gregg Bell Show (93.3 KJR)
• Who Is Drew Lock? Seahawks Backup Replaces Sam Darnold Vs. Patriots | sports.yahoo.com
• NFL: Seahawks Breathe a Sigh of Relief... But Not Completely-Sam Darnold Dodges Fracture, Return Still Up in the Air | en.albat.com
• Latest Sam Darnold injury updates after Seahawks QB exits Week 1 vs. Patriots | 12th Man Rising
• Seahawks Get 'Great News' On Sam Darnold's Hip Injury | Seahawks.com
• Sam Darnold suffers hip injury on Seahawks' opening drive. Fracture ruled out but more tests needed | KING 5 Sports