Before Wednesday night in Seattle, the last few years had been so good to Sam Darnold.
The one-time NFL Draft bust had broken out with the Minnesota Vikings, signed a nine-figure contract with the Seattle Seahawks and won a Super Bowl.
It made it easy to forget, for a little while, the rough beginnings to Darnold’s NFL career.
It all came rushing back on Wednesday night, though, when Darnold got hurt on the Seahawks’ first drive of the season.
In some ways, it had to feel familiar to Carolina fans who once hoped Darnold would be a savior to the Panthers but instead saw him spend a lot of time on the sidelines.
Sam Darnold Injury Update
Darnold hurt his hip on Seattle’s opening drive when he was brought down in the backfield.
Initially, he limped to the sideline and waved off the trainers. Eventually, though, he went with them to the blue medical tent and then to the locker room.
Through the television broadcast, it was clear his limp wasn’t getting better.
The Seahawks officially announced Darnold as questionable to return.
Before the first half was over, they ruled him out for the rest of the game. Reports indicated Darnold was receiving treatment off-site.
Panthers Deja Vu
The Panthers traded for Darnold before the 2021 season, sending draft picks in the second, fourth and sixth rounds to the New York Jets for the former No. 3 overall draft selection.
He appeared in just 11 of the possible games in his first season with Carolina. In the middle of the year, he fractured his scapula, a shoulder injury that forced him to miss more than a month.
Then in 2022, Darnold dealt with a high-ankle sprain and didn’t start a game until Week 12.
While Darnold wasn’t perfect in Carolina, he wasn’t awful. He was 4-7 in 2021, then 4-2 in 2022. He had a nearly even touchdown-to-interception ratio. If he had ever found his full footing, he could’ve stuck around longer.
Instead, he dealt with a relatively serious injury in both seasons in Carolina. Neither was season-ending, but both basically eliminated any chance of him being the answer at the QB position for the Panthers.
Obviously, things are different for Darnold and the Seahawks. He brought them a Super Bowl title in his first year there. He delivered on his potential already in Seattle.
But there is an eerie feeling about this hip injury. Those aren’t easy ones to recover from once they pass a certain threshold, and Darnold being ruled out before halftime doesn’t raise optimism.
The Seahawks have Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe behind Darnold, and just like years earlier for the Panthers, the season might look drastically different if Darnold is forced to miss a bunch of time with this injury.
Sam Darnold’s Injury Reminiscent of Panthers Era