New England Patriots defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (5) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the first quarter at Lumen Field.
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Well, the Seattle Seahawks are not in a good position to start their title season. In just the first drive of the 2026 season, their starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, suffered a hip injury. Darnold has now been officially ruled out of the game, and his status for the rest of the season remains unknown.
With that in mind, it's worth looking at the Seahawks' quarterback situation and who they'll be trotting out at the position. Drew Lock has currently taken over as Seattle's quarterback against the New England Patriots. Jalen Milroe is listed as the team's emergency quarterback, and can only come in in the unlikely event that Lock also suffers an injury himself.
Jalen Milroe is the emergency third QB and can only enter the game if Drew Lock is injured. https://t.co/KyELMLUgU0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 10, 2026
Darnold suffered an injury on the opening drive of the Seahawks' title defense season. Darnold was slow to get up after taking a sack, and he was promptly taken out of the game. It was later announced that the quarterback suffered a hip injury, and that he was going to be ruled out of the game all together.
Darnold was one of the key players in the Seahawks' championship run last season. While he wasn't a spectacular quarterback compared to the elites of the game, he provided a stable presence under center for the team. This was doubly true in the postseason: Darnold, considered a turnover machine even after shaking the “bust” label, did not throw a single interception in the postseason for the Seahawks.
At the time of writing, the Seahawks currently trail the Patriots 3-10 with just a few minutes left in the third quarter. They were able to get their first points of the game in the third after Lock led them to field goal range.