The Seattle Seahawks did not exactly get off on the right foot in the Sam Darnold era on Sunday, losing to the San Francisco 49ers in an anemic season opener.
Darnold went just 16-for-23 with 150 yards as the Seahawks mustered a measly 13 points in the loss, and it already has people wondering if Seattle made a mistake in signing Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract in free agency.
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It's probably too soon for the Seahawks to consider benching Darnold, but Bleacher Report's Alex Kay thinks it could be a possibility if Seattle comes out slow in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"While there's still hope for better days after Seattle's defense kept a Christian McCaffrey-led backfield in check and recorded a pair of interceptions on Brock Purdy, this offense was concerningly bad," Kay wrote. "If this group comes out flat against the Pittsburgh Steelers next week, it will mark the beginning of the end for the Darnold era."
Darnold had a breakout year with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions en route to a Pro Bowl appearance. However, prior to last season, Darnold had been viewed as a bust after six subpar campaigns to begin his NFL career, and it should be noted that the USC product was absolutely loaded with weapons in Minnesota.
It's entirely possible that Darnold simply isn't cut out for the job in Seattle, but at the same time, the former No. 3 overall pick deserves a chance to prove himself.
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It was just one game, and Darnold is still learning a new system with the Seahawks. Even if he has a rough game against the Steelers next weekend, it's hard to imagine Seattle benching him, particularly considering how much money the team is paying him.
But should it come to that, both Drew Lock and rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe will be waiting.