Darnold expects to play despite new oblique injury

RENTON, Wash. — Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold anticipates playing this Saturday in the divisional playoff matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, despite a questionable oblique injury.

The injury was sustained during practice on Thursday. Darnold indicated that he «felt a little something» in the oblique on his left side while throwing and left practice for precautionary reasons.

«Just didn’t want to push it,» Darnold stated. «Wasn’t the right time to risk it. So I came inside for some rehab and I believe I’ll be all set for Saturday.»

The Seahawks listed Darnold as a limited participant in practice.

Backup players Elijah Arroyo, linebacker Chazz Surratt, and tackle Josh Jones have been ruled out. However, left tackle Charles Cross and safety Coby Bryant are set to return after absences of three and two games, respectively.

Darnold was queried about his confidence in potentially not playing Saturday.

«Very low percentage,» he responded. «Probably closer to zero.»

Veteran Drew Lock is available as Darnold’s backup, with rookie third-round selection Jalen Milroe serving as Seattle’s QB3.

Darnold mentioned he hasn’t dealt with an oblique injury before and plans to receive treatment until game time, stating: «We’ll focus on it in the coming days and be prepared for Saturday.»

Having joined the Seahawks in March following a trade of Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, Darnold is eyeing his second playoff start in his eight-season NFL career. He echoed sentiments from coach Mike Macdonald about staying grounded amid postseason excitement.

«We’re treating it as just another week, another game,» Darnold commented. «… We’ve got exceptional guys in that locker room, mature leaders at every position group. Everyone’s ready to attack the week as usual, gearing up for a formidable 49ers team that’s been on a roll, and we’re excited to face them.»

Darnold and the Seahawks claimed victory over the 49ers in Week 18 at Levi’s Stadium, securing the NFC West title and the conference’s top seed. This win completed their regular season with a remarkable 14-3 record, matching the record Darnold achieved last year with the Minnesota Vikings, which earned him his first Pro Bowl selection.

This year, Darnold made the Pro Bowl again, completing 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns while also leading all NFL players with 20 turnovers.

In last year’s playoff debut, Darnold experienced a tough outing, getting sacked nine times in a wild-card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. He noted that the Week 18 victory over the 49ers felt playoff-like due to its high stakes and the crowd’s intensity at Levi’s Stadium.

The Seahawks will have home-field advantage in this rematch.

«Utilizing cadence will be critical, and having our fans making noise on defense is essential,» Darnold stated. «It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere that we’re all looking forward to.»

This playoff match marks the first at Lumen Field with fans present since January 2017. The Seahawks’ only other home playoff appearance since then was at the end of the 2020 COVID-19 season, which featured a loss in the wild-card round to the Rams without any spectators.

«We know Lumen’s going to be energetic,» Darnold remarked. «This game is significant. We fully grasp the game’s implications. The playoffs are thrilling, and it’s amazing to play in such games, especially in January. But we’re approaching this week just like any other and are eager about it.»