For most of Super Bowl week, the conversation around Sam Darnold stayed deliberately muted. No dramatic setbacks. No urgent soundbites. Just careful wording and limited practice listings that felt more strategic than alarming.
That silence may have been the point.
As Seattle prepares to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, Darnold’s oblique injury has hovered in the background — acknowledged, monitored, but rarely emphasized. Until Thursday.
That’s when Darnold logged his first full practice since suffering the injury on January 15. Every rep. No limitations. A small detail on paper, but a meaningful one this late in the season.
The injury itself occurred shortly before the divisional round, at the worst possible time. Oblique issues are notoriously stubborn, especially for quarterbacks whose mechanics depend on rotation and torque. Yet Darnold never left the lineup.
He played through the discomfort in two critical postseason games, including a commanding win over the San Francisco 49ers and a poised performance against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship.
Those weren’t survival outings. They were controlled.
Still, Seattle managed the situation quietly. Early in the week, Darnold practiced on a limited basis, reinforcing the idea that the team was prioritizing timing over volume. The Seahawks didn’t need him throwing every pass in practice. They needed him sharp when it mattered.
Thursday’s full session changed the tone.
It didn’t come with a declaration or guarantee, but it signaled confidence — from both the medical staff and the coaching staff. At this stage, teams don’t take unnecessary risks. If Darnold wasn’t ready, the reps wouldn’t have been there.
That said, readiness isn’t the same as invulnerability.
Seattle’s approach on Sunday will likely reflect that distinction. Expect game planning built around rhythm, quick decisions, and protection — concepts Darnold has already leaned on throughout the playoffs. His experience has been central to Seattle’s run, not just in execution but in composure.
That composure has been tested repeatedly.
Darnold’s postseason hasn’t been flashy. It’s been efficient. He’s avoided forcing throws, navigated pressure, and trusted the structure around him. In moments where the Seahawks needed steadiness more than heroics, he delivered.
That’s why the injury conversation never turned frantic.
Seattle didn’t panic because Darnold didn’t. Even when limited in practice, he maintained command on game days. That consistency made it easier for the team to manage his workload without creating doubt.
Now, with the Super Bowl days away, the narrative has shifted subtly. The question is no longer if Darnold can play — it’s how the Seahawks balance aggression with caution.
The Patriots defense will test him. New England thrives on disguises, delayed pressure, and forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball just long enough to feel uncomfortable. That’s where an oblique injury could matter — not as a limitation, but as a consideration.
Seattle knows that.
Which is why Thursday’s full practice wasn’t about proving toughness. It was about reassurance. Timing. Trust.
There’s no indication Darnold will be limited on Sunday. There’s also no reason to believe Seattle will pretend the injury never existed. Super Bowls are won on margins — and protecting those margins often means respecting what a quarterback has already pushed through.
Darnold has already answered the biggest question by staying upright through the postseason.
What remains is the quietest question of all: whether the injury stays invisible once the game speeds up.
For now, the signs point in one direction.
Sam Darnold is expected to start.
And the fact that Seattle didn’t rush to say it out loud may tell you exactly how confident they are.
Leave a Reply