Sam Darnold has received "really, really good news" regarding his hip injury, coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday, but the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback is expected to miss next week's game, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Darnold, 29, had an MRI on his right hip Thursday morning after he was injured on the opening possession of the Seahawks' season-opening game against the New England Patriots on Wednesday night. He gave way to backup Drew Lock, who helped lead Seattle to a 13-10 win in a rematch of Super Bowl LX opponents.
Macdonald, during his weekly radio show on Seattle Sports 710 AM, said that Darnold's hip is intact and that it appears the injury is muscular.
"Now, how long that [he's out], we don't know yet," Macdonald said Thursday. "But really, really good news. So we're really happy for Sam. That's good. But it is painful, though. I know it hasn't been an easy night for him."
Darnold was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Wednesday night for testing, sources told Schefter. A source told ESPN that he spent the night at the hospital, in part because of how much discomfort he was in.
Sources told ESPN and NFL Network that Darnold is expected to miss the Seahawks' next game at Arizona on Sept. 20 but said that he should be back sooner rather than later and that Seattle has "dodged a bullet."
After Arizona, the reigning Super Bowl champions play the Washington Commanders on the road in Week 3, then host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4 and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.
Macdonald was asked on his radio show if he expects Darnold to play against Arizona.
"I don't know yet," he said. "In my mind I'm kind of thinking Drew is going to play. But no one has told me that. That's just what I'm thinking."
Darnold was injured on the fifth play when his right knee hit the turf hard as he was being sacked from behind. Lock stepped in and rallied the Seahawks from a 10-0 deficit in the third quarter. The veteran backup completed 16 of 22 attempts for 187 yards, no turnovers and a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba that tied the game in the fourth quarter.
"You just feel the poise, the calm," Macdonald said Thursday of Lock. "He's just a confident guy, as he should be, because he's got the body of work to back it up. He's got the teammates that support him and believe in him, too."
Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2019, Lock has a 10-18 record as a starter. He 1-1 for the Seahawks in 2023 while filling in for Geno Smith, then went 1-4 for the New York Giants in 2024.
Lock, 29, initially came to Seattle in 2022 from Denver as part of the Russell Wilson. After spending 2024 with the Giants, he returned to the Seahawks in 2025, attempting only three passes in five mop-up appearances as Darnold started every game on his way to a second straight Pro Bowl selection.