Seahawks Quarterback Sam Darnold’s Injury Update Ahead of Playoffs
SEATTLE — Sam Darnold has yet to shine in the playoffs, despite moving away from the Jets’ long-standing struggles and joining two successful teams recently. This season, he’s currently with the Seahawks, and on Thursday, he unexpectedly appeared on the injury report just two days ahead of their playoff match against the 49ers.
Darnold, once a first-round draft pick by the Jets, is now listed as questionable due to an oblique injury. Details surrounding the injury remain unclear, especially since it was the first mention of it leading up to this weekend’s game. Notably, he hadn’t been on the injury report before Thursday.
When talking to reporters on Thursday, Darnold mentioned he “felt a little something” during practice but intends to play on Saturday night. “I felt something a little diagonally. I didn’t want to overdo it,” he explained. “Today wasn’t the day to push myself, so I’m just going to go home, do some rehab, and be ready for Saturday.”
Earlier, Darnold had played in the Seahawks’ last regular season game, a convincing win against the top-seeded 49ers. Observers noted that he was seen jogging without signs of discomfort during practice on Thursday.
In the event Darnold cannot play, backup quarterback Drew Lock has been practicing with the first-string offense and will step in. Jalen Milroe, a rookie, is positioned as the third-string quarterback and would take Lock’s place if necessary.
Darnold has had an impressive season, completing 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, helping lead the Seahawks to a 14-3 record. Last year, he also helped the Vikings achieve a solid 14-3 record, where he threw for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. However, his playoff performance last season faced criticism after a loss to the Rams, where he was sacked nine times.
The Vikings decided not to retain Darnold, opting instead for first-round draft pick JJ McCarthy, which kept them out of this year’s playoffs. Now, Darnold is eager to overcome his injury and redeem last year’s playoff disappointment with a win over the 49ers.
