Sam Darnold Injury Return Hyped as 'Medical Miracle' by Seahawks HC After Initial Timetable

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was impressed with the speed at which quarterback Sam Darnold recovered from a glute injury.

"Really just to see him confident in the things that he's been doing," Macdonald said Friday, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson . "He's been really positive and says he feels great. He looks great, so we'll rolling. It's a medical miracle he's back."

He also explained that the quarterback's timetable had "shifted quite drastically" for the better after Week 2, per Henderson.

Darnold's injury occurred on Seattle's opening drive of a Week 1 victory over the New England Patriots. He's now set to return for the Seahawks' matchup with the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

On Thursday, Darnold revealed that he feared his season might be over and his long-term career could be impacted immediately after suffering the injury (via Henderson).

NFL insider Tom Pelissero previously reported the Seahawks were initially worried that Darnold fractured his hip socket, which would have been a major injury.

Now, he'll only miss one week of action before returning to the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Seahawks have still started 2-0 largely due to the efforts of backup quarterback Drew Lock, who has completed 72.9 percent of his throws for 422 yards and four touchdowns without getting picked off this year.

Darnold's first game back will come against a Commanders defense that has struggled to begin the 2026 season, ranking No. 27 among all teams by allowing 30.5 points per game.

Kickoff between Seattle and Washington on Sunday is at 1 p.m. ET.