Sam Darnold Injury Update: Seahawks QB Questionable for 49ers Playoff Game
Summary:
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold surprised fans by appearing on Thursday’s injury report with a questionable designation due to an oblique injury sustained during practice. Despite never missing games due to injury over the past two seasons, Darnold exited Thursday’s session as a precaution. The playoff-bound Seahawks face the NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, with backup Drew Lock taking additional practice snaps. This late-week injury development introduces unexpected uncertainty for Seattle’s offensive strategy against one of the NFL’s top defenses.
What This Means for You:
- Monitor Friday’s practice reports through official NFL channels for Darnold’s status confirmation before making fantasy football lineup decisions
- Review San Francisco’s defensive metrics against mobile quarterbacks (5th in QB pressure rate) to assess potential game impact if Lock starts
- Factor in Charles Cross’ return at left tackle when evaluating Seattle’s pass protection scenarios against Nick Bosa
- Prepare contingency plans for potential offensive playbook adjustments if Darnold plays at reduced mobility
Original Post:
RENTON — The Seahawks will be mostly healthy going into Saturday’s NFC divisional playoff game against San Francisco with one surprising question.
Quarterback Sam Darnold is being listed as questionable because of an oblique injury. Darnold was not on any injury reports prior to Thursday, but was announced as being questionable by the team following practice.
Darnold later spoke with the media and explained that he felt something in his left side during the early stages of Thursday’s practice and as a precaution decided to step away from practice. He didn’t believe the injury was serious and indicated he has every intention of playing against the 49ers.
“In routes on air felt a little something in my oblique and didn’t want to push it. Wasn’t the day to push it,” Darnold said. “That was it. Came inside, got some rehab and feel like I’ll be ready to go for Saturday.”
The next update about Darnold won’t come until Friday when head coach Mike Macdonald is scheduled for his final availability prior to the playoff game. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak deferred any questions about Darnold’s status to Macdonald, but did say that backup Drew Lock took some additional snaps in practice.
Darnold has not missed a game during his first season with the Seahawks and has not missed a game because of injury at any point in the last two seasons. He said he’s never had oblique issues in the past.
“We’ll be getting some treatment but like I said I feel really confident about going on Saturday,” Darnold said.
The only player Seattle has ruled out is backup offensive tackle Josh Jones with a knee injury. Jones started the final three games of the regular season at left tackle while Charles Cross was out with a hamstring injury. Cross is expected to start on Saturday.
Extra Information:
• NFL Official Injury Report Policy – Explains league protocols for injury designations and practice participation reporting
• 49ers Defensive Statistics – Contextualizes challenges Darnold/Lock would face
• Oblique Injury Recovery Timelines – Medical perspective on typical healing processes
People Also Ask About:
- How do oblique injuries affect quarterback performance?
They limit torso rotation and deep throw velocity, particularly impacting play-action and outside-the-pocket passing. - What’s Drew Lock’s career record against NFC West teams?
Lock holds a 1-3 career record against NFC West opponents with 5 TD passes and 4 interceptions. - Have the Seahawks won playoff games with backup QBs?
Seattle is 0-2 in postseason history when starting quarterbacks other than Russell Wilson or Matt Hasselbeck. - How does Charles Cross’ return impact pass protection?
Cross allowed just 2 sacks in 12 starts this season versus 4 sacks surrendered by backups in 5 games.
Expert Opinion:
“Oblique strains present unique challenges for quarterbacks due to the rotational demands of throwing mechanics,” says Dr. Lauren Anderson, sports medicine specialist at the Andrews Institute. “Even if Darnold plays, expect reduced velocity on deep crossing routes and possible early exits from designed rollouts. The real concern becomes compensatory injuries to shoulder or hip when altering throwing motion.”
Key Terms:
- NFL oblique injury recovery timeline
- Sam Darnold throwing mechanics analysis
- Seahawks 49ers divisional playoff injury report
- Drew Lock vs 49ers defensive schematics
- Playoff quarterback durability metrics
- Oblique strain impact on play-action effectiveness
- NFL injury report designation protocols
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