The Seattle Seahawks have ruled quarterback Sam Darnold out of Sunday’s Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals, with Drew Lock confirmed as the starter. Head coach Mike Macdonald made the announcement at his press conference on Wednesday, September 16.
“Sam’s going to be out this game, Drew will start for us,” Macdonald said. Darnold suffered a glute injury five plays into Seattle’s season-opening 13-10 win over the New England Patriots on September 9, when he was sacked on third down and limped off without returning.
The Seahawks do not intend to place Darnold on injured reserve, which would sideline him for at least four games. “I don’t anticipate putting him on IR or anything like that,” Macdonald said, adding that Darnold is “killing it on his rehab” and that the team will re-evaluate him every day.
Lock replaced Darnold in Week 1 and completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown as Seattle rallied to win. “Drew’s a proven, really good player in this league,” Macdonald said. Rookie Jalen Milroe will serve as the backup, and the club does not plan to sign an additional quarterback while Darnold is sidelined.
Elsewhere on the injury front, safety Nick Emmanwori and receiver Tory Horton returned to practice after missing the opener, and safety Ty Okada has a chance to play after a hamstring injury. Seahawks at Cardinals kicks off at 1:25pm PT (4:25pm ET) on Sunday, September 20 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, live on FOX.
