NFL

Seahawks ‘real hope’ Sam Darnold will play in divisional round vs. 49ers despite the injury that bent

ballervisions 2026年1月16日

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Friday they are “really positive” quarterback Sam Darnold will play in Saturday’s divisional-round game against the San Francisco 49ers, despite a minor injury sustained Thursday.

Darnold is still listed as “questionable” for the highly anticipated rematch between the NFC West rivals.

Macdonald said Darnold feels better the day after the injury and explained that he will evaluate things on Saturday before a final decision is made.

Macdonald did not say whether Darnold threw during the team’s drive on Friday.

The coach of the Seahawks, who has completed his second year, was asked if the wrong issue could reduce the way Darnold plays.

“Yes, yes, that’s possible,” Macdonald said. “I think right now he’s confident that he’ll be able to do his thing 100%, and so are we. But with these things, something can change in the middle of the game or something can happen in the game. So you just have to roll with it.”

Macdonald made it clear, however, that the Seahawks will not include Darnold if he is not fit to do his job.

Drew Lock is Seattle’s backup. He has played in five games this season but attempted only three passes. A 2019 second-round pick out of Missouri, Lock has started 28 games in his career, including two for the Seahawks in the 2023 season.

Darnold told reporters he felt something oblique early in Thursday’s practice while throwing routes.

“I just didn’t want to push it. It wasn’t a day to push it,” Darnold said, speaking to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. “It was like that. I just went inside, got rehab. I feel like I’ll be ready to go on Saturday.”

Darnold said he has never had oblique problems before. He’s put a nice stop to the midweek ban he’s determined to clear ahead of the biggest game of his career.

“It’s exciting. We’re going to attack it the next few days and be ready to go Saturday,” Darnold added.

Darnold, fair, explained at the time that he experienced discomfort in his left side when throwing.

He was asked what percentage he thinks he might not play against the 49ers this weekend at Seattle’s Lumen Field.

“The percentage is very low,” he said on Thursday. “Probably close to zero.”

Darnold played in all 17 games during the regular season, his first with the Seahawks after signing a three-year deal reportedly worth $100.5 million.

He continued where he left off in Minnesota last season, leading the Vikings to a record 14-3 record, filling in for the injured JJ McCarthy.

This time, he became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to guide two different teams to 14-win seasons, joining Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Jared Goff.

Despite a league-high 20 turnovers, Darnold made the Pro Bowl. By defeating San Francisco in the regular-season finale, Seattle clinched the division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, which came with a first-round sweep and home-field advantage in every playoff game.

Darnold is about to face the tough 49ers again. He’s hoping for playoff redemption after throwing a pick, losing a fumble and being sacked nine times in the Vikings’ 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last season.