Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald delivered a notable Sam Darnold injury update on Jan. 21, saying the quarterback is improving but won’t be a “full go” all week as the team manages his throwing workload ahead of Sunday’s NFC Championship matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
“Sam continues to get better,” Macdonald told reporters. “He’s not going to be a full go the whole week so we have a plan… we’ll kind of take it day by day… But he won’t be like throwing every ball every play for the whole week.”
Darnold, speaking after studying last week’s film, echoed that he’s feeling better while acknowledging the week will include rehab and body maintenance as Seattle pushes toward the Super Bowl.
“Feeling really good,” Darnold said. “Just attack and rehab these last couple days obviously [and] will be throughout the week… just got to continue to prepare and get my body right for Sunday.”
Key details from the Seahawks’ update
- Macdonald: Darnold is improving, but Seattle will limit him during the week and evaluate day to day.
- Darnold: Said he felt good throwing in warm-ups last week and is focused on rehab and being ready for Sunday.
- Bottom line: This sounds like a managed-practice week, not a declaration that Darnold is out.
What “limited” could mean as the week unfolds
In practical terms, Seattle’s plan can show up in a few ways: fewer total throws during team periods, more mental reps in walkthrough settings, and additional snaps for the backup quarterbacks during practice. That approach matters because the NFL’s injury/practice participation designations are typically the clearest public signal of how a player is trending: Did Not Participate, Limited, or Full.
Macdonald’s “not a full go” wording suggests Darnold may land in the Limited bucket at least once this week — and the biggest tell will be whether his participation increases as Sunday gets closer. If he’s trending the right way, fans usually see the workload build from midweek to the end of the week.
Darnold also made it clear he still values getting reps even late in the season.
“Reps are reps,” he said. “Reps are always vital throughout the week.”
Why it matters for Seattle’s game plan vs. the Rams
Seattle is facing Los Angeles for the third time, and Darnold called the Rams a “really good defense” with a “really good scheme,” crediting their disguises and pressures for causing problems earlier in the season.
From a Seahawks perspective, a limited throwing week can nudge the offense toward what Darnold emphasized as a core point: staying efficient early in downs.
“Staying on schedule… staying positive on first and second down,” he said, adding that the run game has helped open up play-action and other complementary calls.
Darnold also acknowledged the stakes of this stage while insisting Seattle’s routine is the anchor.
“It’s win or go home at this point,” he said, “but… we look at it as another game… we trust our process throughout the week.”
Other injury/availability notes Seattle mentioned
While the Darnold plan is the headline, Macdonald also touched on other roster health items Wednesday, saying tackle Josh Jones was not expected to practice and that Charles Cross was being worked through after a walk-through. Macdonald also said the team is excited to get George Fant back on the field.
Darnold, meanwhile, confirmed Seattle will miss Zach Charbonnet, calling him a “huge part” of the offense, while adding the Seahawks have other players ready to step up.
What happens next
Seattle’s next on-field update should come through the week’s practice participation and any Friday status clarity heading into the NFC Championship. For now, the Seahawks have made their stance clear: Darnold is improving, but Seattle plans to manage him and evaluate the week one day at a time.
Seahawks Get Key Sam Darnold Injury Update Before NFC Championship vs. Rams