The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are hours away from facing off in the NFC Divisional Round. Unfortunately for Seahawks fans, star quarterback Sam Darnold may not be at full strength for the matchup. It was reported Thursday that he is dealing with an oblique injury and is questionable to play, sending the fanbase into a tizzy. And it gets worse.
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According to sources, Darnold has not thrown a ball since picking up the injury. In his place, Drew Lock has been taking first-team practice reps, and naturally, Seahawks fans are beginning to grow nervous about Darnold’s status.
In fact, some fans reacted to the news of Darnold being inactive in practice with outright frustration.
“It’s over. Even if he plays, he won’t be anywhere near 100%. That too much to overcome. Niners will win,” one wrote. “Tough break for Darnold—hope he suits up!” another noted.
“This would be the most Seahawks thing ever f**k lol,” someone else joked. While some fans believe that the Darnold news is just smoke and mirrors:
This could all be smoking mirrors and Darnold is just fine. Who else thinks that?
— Mays Gilliam (@malston_) January 17, 2026
This could certainly be a smokescreen being used to throw the opponent off its game plan. After all, the 7-point line in favor of the Seahawks has not moved even after the Darnold injury was reported. That suggests many are still expecting him to play.
Add to the fact that Darnold told the media there was “close to a zero percent chance” he won’t play, and the rest in practice looks like a precautionary situation. His oblique started barking while throwing, and to be safe, the coaching staff had him shut it down for the week. That makes sense, considering he is the biggest key to the Seahawks’ success heading into the playoffs.
All signs point to Darnold being out there tonight against the 49ers. This could be the biggest game of his career, and he is unlikely to miss it unless his arm is practically falling off. Until then, this should be viewed as a precautionary practice hold, and the team simply making sure backup Drew Lock is ready if anything happens during the game.
