Darnold targets Sunday return after glute injury hospital scare — SkimNews
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- Sam Darnold is targeting a Sunday return against the Washington Commanders (0-2) after being injured on the fifth play of the season opener and missing most of Seattle's first two games with a glute injury
- Darnold spent the night of the Sept. 9 opener at Harborview Medical Center, a trauma center near Lumen Field, for additional testing and discomfort; a doctor showed him CT scan results confirming his season and career weren't in jeopardy
- Backup Drew Lock filled in capably, completing nearly 73% of his attempts with four touchdown passes and zero turnovers, posting a Total QBR of 85.8 — fourth-best among all NFL quarterbacks through two games
- Darnold was a limited participant Wednesday and a full participant Thursday in practice; Coach Mike Macdonald said the team will likely decide by end of Friday whether to start him
- Darnold called the hospital stay "eye-opening," saying seeing other patients' struggles gave him perspective on worrying about his own injury timeline
Why it matters: Darnold's potential return gives Seattle its established starter back, but Lock's 85.8 QBR and zero-turnover performance across two games creates a real competition question for Macdonald — the coach now has leverage either way, with a reigning Super Bowl champion hosting a winless opponent and a clear QB decision due by Friday.
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