Seahawks sideline Sam Darnold after first-quarter hip injury, Drew Lock steps in
Quarterback Sam Darnold left the Seahawks’ season-opening win over New England with a hip injury and will not return, while backup Drew Lock finished the game.
Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold was taken out of the first quarter of the team’s Week 1 victory against the New England Patriots after sustaining a hip injury on a sack. He was listed as questionable before halftime but was ruled out for the remainder of the game. The injury will be examined further tomorrow, though doctors have ruled out a season-ending fracture.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock entered the game and completed 22 of 26 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt and taking only one sack. He also contributed two rushes for 13 yards. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught a 45-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, accounting for most of the passing yards after the catch.
Lock’s performance secured the win for Seattle, and he will start until Darnold is cleared to play again. The Seahawks’ coaching staff indicated that tight-end usage and motion will remain key components of the offense this season. No further updates on Darnold’s recovery timeline were provided.