Seahawks Navigate QB Dilemma Following Darnold's Injury

WHO:

Fox News - Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that Darnold will not dress for the team's Week 2 road matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Heavy NFL - Bleacher Report's Alex Kay named Seattle the best fit for veteran quarterback Josh Johnson on September 16.

Fox News - Jalen Milroe is the second-year quarterback and former third-round pick backing up Drew Lock.

Fox News - Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that Drew Lock will start against the Arizona Cardinals.

Seahawks.com - Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Mike Macdonald, Vinod Khosla, Neeru Khosla, Neal Khosla, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jadarian Price, Jalen Milroe

Fox News - Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals

Heavy NFL - Josh Johnson

WHAT:

Heavy NFL - A sports doctor indicated that while Sam Darnold's return is expected to be short-term, there is a possibility he may not return until Week 4, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Seahawks.com - Jadarian Price had 52 yards on 10 carries, including a 13-yard gain on the first carry of his NFL career.

Seahawks.com - The Seahawks were just 2 for 11 on third down and had only 13 first downs in their Week 1 game against the Patriots.

Seahawks.com - Drew Lock is expected to have more practice reps with the starting offense this week, which may lead to a more open playcalling strategy compared to the previous game.

Seahawks.com - The Seahawks had 10 penalties for 98 yards in their Week 1 game against the Patriots, which included several pre-snap penalties that impacted their performance.

Heavy NFL - A sports doctor predicted a “realistic” return date for Sam Darnold, suggesting he may return by Week 3.

Heavy NFL - Darnold reportedly suffered a muscle strain but not a fracture, providing optimism for a short absence.

Seahawks.com - Darnold's injury was initially misidentified as a hip injury, but tests confirmed it as a gluteal muscle injury, which is a very unique soft-tissue injury.

Fox News - Drew Lock completed 72.7% of his passes (16 of 22) in the game against the Patriots.

Heavy NFL - The Seahawks are considering adding veteran quarterback Josh Johnson as a backup option while Darnold recovers.

Heavy NFL - A sports doctor predicted a “realistic” return date for Sam Darnold as he works his way back from injury.

Heavy NFL - Bleacher Report's Alex Kay named Seattle the best fit for veteran quarterback Josh Johnson, who is 40 years old, as a backup option while Sam Darnold recovers from injury.

Fox News - Darnold's injury is described as a "very unique" soft-tissue injury, which is why there is no firm timetable for his return.

Heavy NFL - Bleacher Report's Alex Kay named Seattle the best fit for veteran quarterback Josh Johnson as a backup option while Sam Darnold recovers from injury.

Seahawks.com - Darnold reportedly suffered a muscle strain but not a fracture, providing optimism for a short absence.

Seahawks.com - Sam Darnold suffered a gluteal muscle injury during the Seahawks' Week 1 game against the New England Patriots.

Seahawks.com - Drew Lock replaced Darnold and threw for 187 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, achieving a passer rating of 113.3 in a 13-10 win.

Fox News - Darnold will not dress for the Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Fox News - The Seahawks do not anticipate placing Darnold on injured reserve.

Fox News - Darnold had 4,048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and a 99.1 passer rating in the previous season.

Fox News - The Seahawks won Super Bowl LX, marking their second championship in franchise history.

Heavy NFL - The Seahawks are considered a good fit for veteran quarterback Josh Johnson as a backup option.

WHERE:

Seahawks.com - Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington

Fox News - Arizona, USA

WHEN:

49ers.com - The San Francisco 49ers will face the Miami Dolphins at Levi's® Stadium for their home opener on September 20, 2026.

Heavy NFL - The Seahawks' Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals is scheduled for Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.

Heavy NFL - The Seahawks are expected to roll out white throwback uniforms in 2027.

Fox News - The Seahawks' Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals is scheduled for Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

Fox News - The Seahawks swept the 2025 season series against the Cardinals.

WHY:

Seahawks.com - Vinod Khosla stated, "I think our approach will be to have great management," emphasizing a philosophy of learning from existing management rather than making immediate changes.

Seahawks.com - Vinod Khosla stated, "So the best thing we can do is not mess with a lot, but we will be working closely with management."

Seahawks.com - Vinod Khosla stated, "I don't think our approach is going to be telling them what to do; our approach will be lots of discussions and then leave it to management to decide whether they agree with us or not."

Seahawks.com - Vinod Khosla stated, "I think our approach will be to have great management," emphasizing a philosophy of learning from existing management rather than making immediate changes.

Seahawks.com - The Khosla family, who recently purchased the team, aims to learn from the existing management rather than implement immediate changes. Vinod Khosla stated, "I think our approach will be to have great management."

Seahawks.com - The uniqueness of Darnold's soft-tissue injury is why there is no firm timetable for his return.

Seahawks.com - Darnold's injury is described as a unique soft-tissue injury, leading to optimism about a short recovery time.

HOW:

Seahawks.com - The Seahawks practiced on September 14 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

Seahawks.com - Darnold's injury was initially misidentified as a hip injury, but tests confirmed it as a gluteal muscle injury.

Seahawks.com - Tests ruled out any injury to the hip joint, confirming it as a gluteal muscle injury.

In NFL news, a sports doctor has indicated that while Sam Darnold's return is expected to be short-term, he may not be back until Week 4. Meanwhile, in his NFL debut, Jadarian Price rushed for 52 yards on 10 carries, including a notable 13-yard gain on his first attempt, although the Seahawks struggled overall with just 2 for 11 on third downs in their Week 1 matchup against the Patriots. Looking ahead, the San Francisco 49ers are set to host the Miami Dolphins for their home opener at Levi's Stadium on September 20, 2026.