Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold leaves game with hip injury By Luís Henrique Costa
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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold injured his right hip and exited the season opener against the New England Patriots on September 9, 2026, in Seattle. Darnold fell onto his right knee after absorbing a hit from Dre’Mont Jones, underwent an initial examination inside the sideline medical tent, and limped back to the locker room while the Seattle Seahawks sent their offense onto the field for their second possession of the afternoon.
Team physicians ruled Darnold out.
Drew Lock takes snaps amid offensive penalties
Backup quarterback Drew Lock took over the huddle and completed six of his initial eight attempts for 51 passing yards. During that stretch, Lock converted a third-and-22 with a 21-yard pass to receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The offensive unit drew four flags across the first two quarters, including an offside infraction that wiped out a one-yard rush by tight end AJ Barner.
Lock entered the contest holding a 10-18 career record as a starter across seven NFL seasons, having also made five appearances in the prior campaign as the primary backup to Darnold.
Patriots extend lead in rematch while depth chart stabilizes
In a rematch of Super Bowl LX, the New England Patriots established a 7-0 advantage in the second quarter when Drake Maye threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Eli Raridon. The Patriots pushed their margin to 10-0 in the third quarter on a 50-yard field goal from Andy Borregales, which immediately followed a defensive pass interference penalty against Josh Jobe.
Quarterback Jalen Milroe dressed as the designated emergency third option, cleared to take the field only if an additional injury hit the quarterback depth chart.
