Sam Darnold has received "really, really good news" regarding his hip injury, coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday, but the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback is expected to miss next week's game, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Darnold, 29, had an MRI on his right hip Thursday morning after he was injured on the opening possession of Wednesday night's season-opening game against the New England Patriots.
Macdonald, during his weekly radio show on Seattle Sports 710 AM, said that Darnold's hip is intact and that it appears the injury is more muscular.
"The hip is intact and it's good," Macdonald said Thursday. "It's more of a muscle thing. So that's good news.
"Now, how long that is, we don't know yet. But really, really good news. So we're really happy for Sam."
Sources told ESPN and NFL Network that Darnold is expected to miss the Seahawks' next game at Arizona on Sept. 20 but said that he should be back sooner rather than later and that Seattle has "dodged a bullet."
The Seahawks are scheduled to host the Washington Commanders in Week 3 (Sept. 27).
A source told ESPN's Brady Henderson that Darnold spent the night in the hospital, in part because of how much discomfort he was in.
"It is painful," Macdonald said Thursday: "Hasn't been an easy night for him."
Backup Drew Lock took over after Darnold's exit and rallied the reigning Super Bowl champs to a 13-10 victory in a rematch of Super Bowl LX opponents.
Macdonald said Thursday that he's "kind of thinking" Lock will be playing against the Cardinals next week, "but no one has told me that."
Lock, 29, spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as Geno Smith's backup after the Seahawks acquired him from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade, then returned to Seattle in 2025. He attempted only three passes over five appearances last season while Darnold started every game on his way to a second straight Pro Bowl selection.
Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick in 2019, Lock has a 10-18 record as a starter.