Seahawks QB Sam Darnold (oblique) active for Divisional Round game vs. 49ers

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2026-01-18

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There was a brief scare in Seattle on Thursday when Sam Darnold popped up on the injury report and was deemed questionable.

Any Seahawks consternation has been alleviated, as Darnold is active for Saturday night’s Divisional Round game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

Darnold said there was close to a “zero-percent” chance his oblique injury would keep him out of action and that prediction has come to fruition.

The veteran quarterback was injured during Thursday’s practice, received treatment and then downplayed the injury’s significance when speaking with the media not long after.

Darnold has recorded 35 consecutive starts, including playoffs, since he took over as the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1 ahead of the 2024 season. He’s now set to make just his second career playoff start and aiming for a much-improved showing from last season’s debut.

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Darnold had two turnovers in an ugly 27-9 Vikings loss to the Los Angeles Rams in last season’s Wild Card Round.

With Seattle having earned a wild-card bye, Darnold will see his first Divisional Round action, though it will be his third matchup with the 49ers this season. Darnold and the ‘Hawks lost at home to the Niners in Week 1 before prevailing in a Week 18 matchup on the road to win the NFC West and the conference’s top seed.

Saturday night’s game will mark the first time in NFL history that two teams have played each other in the first and last weeks of the season, as well as in the playoffs, per NFL Research.

Darnold, who was strip-sacked late in the Seahawks’ first-week loss, is 36 of 49 for 348 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in his two games this season against San Francisco.

The 2018 NFL Draft’s No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets, Darnold has completed a career-best 67.7% of his passes this season for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions to earn his second Pro Bowl selection in a row.

He’ll be looking not just for his first career playoff win, but for the Seahawks’ first postseason victory since 2019.

Darnold and the top-seeded Seahawks kick off against the No. 6 49ers at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.