Seahawks’ Sam Darnold questionable for 49ers with oblique injury
There was a new name on the injury list of the Seattle Seahawks Thursday, and it’s a big one — quarterback Sam Darnold.
Darnold was listed with an oblique injury and is questionable to play against the 49ers Saturday night in an NFC divisional playoff (Fox, 5 p.m.) at Lumen Field. Darnold had not been on the injury report all week. He told reporters he felt the injury on his left side during practice and shut it down.
“Just didn’t want to push it. It wasn’t the day to push it,” Darnold said. “So that was it. Just came inside, got some rehab. I feel like I’ll be ready to go for Saturday.”
If Darnold can’t play, six-year veteran Drew Lock would start for Seattle, backed up by rookie Jalen Millroe out of Alabama.
“Drew’s been really impressive in OTAs and in training camp and in his role,” offensive coordinator told the media Thursday. “He’s started a lot of games, 28 games in the league. A lot of confidence in Drew. Brought him here for a reason.”
Kubiak declined to get into the specifics of Darnold’s injury and coach Mike Macdonald was not available to the media.
Darnold joined Tom Brady as the only NFL quarterback to win 14 games in back-to-back seasons and the only one to do it with two teams. Darnold was 14-3 in Minnesota in 2024 one year after playing in a backup role to Brock Purdy and the 49ers.
Lock is 2-for-3 this season for 15 yards, throwing his only passes in a one-sided win over New Orleans on Sept. 21. Lock played in four other games with big leads and didn’t throw a pass.
Coach Kyle Shanahan hadn’t heard about Darnold’s injury until he took the podium Thursday for the 49ers’ final injury update and was asked if it would change the 49ers’ preparation.
“No, not at all,” Shanahan said. “(For) preparation, we wouldn’t change anything the next couple days. I didn’t think too much of it. If that happens, we’ll react accordingly, which would be the same football game.”
Darnold has completed 323 passes in 477 attempts for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has lost six turnovers and has more turnovers than any other NFL quarterback.
In Week 1, Darnold lost a strip sack when hit by Nick Bosa late in a 17-13 season-opening loss to the 49ers. In the regular season finale, Darnold was 16 of 23 for 150 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in a 13-3 win for Seattle.
Lock, a former second-round pick by Denver in 2019, is 10-18 as an NFL starter, including 1-7 last season for the New York Giants. He has one career start against the 49ers on Dec. 10, 2023 in a 28-16 loss to the 49ers. Lock completed 22 of 31 passes for 269 yards, two interceptions and two touchdowns at Levi’s Stadium.
In that game, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was 19 of 23 for 268 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.