Sam Darnold’s Injury Status Update

It seems Sam Darnold might actually be okay.

Just a day after finding his name unexpectedly on the Seahawks’ injury report, head coach Mike McDonald expressed that he remains “very optimistic” about Darnold’s ability to play in Saturday’s NFC divisional round playoff game against the 49ers.

“Regarding Sam, I heard what he mentioned yesterday, and I feel similarly,” McDonald told reporters. “He’s listed as questionable, but we’re hopeful he’ll be ready to go. We’re taking precautionary measures to ensure he’s fully prepared.”

That said, McDonald did drop a hint that there’s a chance Darnold could sit this one out, confirming that backup QB Drew Lock is prepped to step in if necessary.

“If he doesn’t, or isn’t up to it at some point, Drew is ready. So Drew is doing well,” he remarked.

On Thursday, news broke that Darnold had an oblique injury which could sideline him, with the 28-year-old admitting he “felt a little something” while practicing. However, he remained confident that he wouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to play.

“I felt something a bit diagonally. I didn’t want to push too hard,” Darnold noted. “Today, I felt it wasn’t the day to overexert myself, so I opted to take it easy. I’m planning to go home, get some rehab, and be ready for Saturday.”

During the Seahawks’ walkthrough on Friday, both Darnold and Lock observed the plays, but Darnold was only making underhand throws.

McDonald added that Darnold was feeling better on Friday compared to the previous day.

“Yeah, he mentioned he felt improved,” McDonald said. “But you’ve talked to him; he’s confident. We share that sentiment.”

Darnold, who amassed 4,048 yards and threw for 25 touchdowns over 17 games this season, is still searching for his first playoff victory after experiencing a loss in his first postseason game last year while with the Vikings.