Sam Darnold’s Injury Update Ahead of Super Bowl 2026

As the Super Bowl approaches, there’s little concern regarding Sam Darnold’s torticollis injury. Darnold remarked to reporters at the Super Bowl opener that he felt “really good,” which appears to align with a report from ESPN’s Jeff Darlington indicating that the Seahawks aren’t worried about his condition.

Initially listed as suspended on the injury report twice last week, Darnold’s solid postseason performance, despite the injury, has calmed any concerns the team had as they prepare to face the Patriots.

Darlington mentioned on Monday night that Darnold has been managing an oblique injury that limited his practice leading up to the playoffs. Nonetheless, his play has lessened worries about how this might affect his Super Bowl performance. Darnold has been clear that he feels capable of playing at a high level. General manager John Schneider and head coach Mike McDonald both expressed admiration for how Darnold has handled the pressures.

“He’s not nervous; never appears worried,” Darlington noted. “He’s been all in, and they were curious if he could perform at his best, and he did. So, they’re confident going into this game.” Although it’s likely they’ll continue to limit him in practice, he reportedly feels closer to being fully recovered as he moves past the injury.

In his recent outings, Darnold completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns in a thrilling 31-27 victory against the Rams in the NFC Championship Game. He previously threw for 124 yards and a touchdown in a 41-6 rout of the 49ers in the divisional round.

Given his remarkable resurgence over the last two years, from the Vikings to the Seahawks, Darnold has become one of the most talked-about players as the Super Bowl approaches.