Jalen Milroe was one of the most physically gifted football players to ever suit up for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
So far in the NFL, he hasn’t yet had the chance to translate that into success.
Milroe’s second NFL season begins on Wednesday night as the Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch.
The uber-athletic QB Milroe won’t even be active for the game, though.
Tonight’s @Seahawks inactives: QB Jalen Milroe will serve as the emergency 3rd quarterback. pic.twitter.com/axFzYjlpvQ
— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) September 9, 2026
Milroe’s role as the emergency third quarterback means he’s only allowed to enter the game if both of the first two QBs get hurt and cannot continue.
Where Is Jalen Milroe?
Milroe remains a member of the Seahawks, who drafted him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
He just hasn’t yet gotten a serious chance to break through.
The Seahawks signed Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract prior to the 2025 draft, and that locked him in as their long-term starting quarterback.
They drafted Milroe to bet on his tools and his potential, but not necessarily his present value.
Seattle knew it’d need a more experienced passer as Darnold’s backup, just in case he had some regression. They brought in Drew Lock for that role and are sticking with Lock as the QB2 to begin the 2026 NFL season.
That leaves Milroe on the outside looking in. It’s tough for the QB3 to get many practice reps, which can make it tough to improve.
On the one hand, it was likely cool for Milroe to be a Super Bowl champion as a rookie. On the other hand, he’d probably like to play more than this.
Jalen Milroe NFL Stats
Milroe appeared in three games as a rookie. He totaled three rushing attempts for four yards, none of them a first down or a touchdown.
Milroe has yet to attempt a regular season NFL pass.
The thought when he was drafted was that maybe he could begin his career as a sort of gadget player. Lamar Jackson did a bit of that early in his Ravens days when they still had Joe Flacco.
Milroe ran for 726 yards in his final college season, so it wasn’t totally far fetched, but it’s not a route the Seahawks have gone.
Some teams are more amenable to taking their QB out in the middle of drives for special, Taysom Hill-like plays than others. Seattle clearly isn’t all that interested in trying such a move with Milroe.
It means that for now, he’s on the outside looking in. The Seahawks are one of the best teams in football, and the former Alabama star is a part of that team — well, sort of.
Where Is Jalen Milroe? Why Alabama Star Isn’t Playing For Seahawks