On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald held a brief press conference that sent a ripple through the NFC West. The announcement was straightforward: quarterback Sam Darnold would not suit up for the Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. The reason? A quadriceps injury. Macdonald confirmed the news to reporters, noting that Darnold also dealt with a rib injury during the Week 8 loss to the Chicago Bears, though the quad issue was the primary reason for his absence.
This was not a sudden decision. Darnold had already been sidelined earlier in the season by a glute injury that kept him out in Week 2. Now, a soft-tissue issue in his quadriceps has forced the Seahawks into another quarterback change. The timing is particularly unkind: Seattle enters the game at 4-4, having lost three of their last four outings, and they are coming off a 34-17 Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears. A short week of preparation follows a prime-time setback, and the offense will look markedly different under center.
From Darnold to Lock
The immediate question on every fan’s mind is who takes the snap. The answer is Drew Lock, who is making his second start of the 2026 season. Lock’s first start came in Week 2, also against the Cardinals, and the result was a blowout. Lock completed 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-7 Seattle victory at State Farm Stadium. That game marked Seattle’s first win of the year, and it established a template for what the offense can look like without Darnold.
Lock is not without his own health concerns. Macdonald revealed that the quarterback is dealing with an elbow injury sustained during a rainy practice a couple of weeks ago. How much he can throw will be monitored throughout the week, but Macdonald expressed confidence that Lock would be ready to go. If Lock cannot practice or play, Jalen Milroe, a second-year signal-caller, would be the next man up—a precarious spot for a team that cannot afford further instability at the most important position.
What Darnold Leaves Behind
Through seven games this season, Sam Darnold has put up numbers that explain both the faith the Seahawks placed in him and the frustration fans have felt. He has completed 60.2% of his passes for 1,478 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. His passer rating of 79.5 reflects a quarterback who has had his moments but has been undone by turnovers. By comparison, Lock’s limited action this season has been more efficient: a 73% completion rate, 8.8 yards per attempt, a 4-0 touchdown-interception ratio, and a 127.3 passer rating. The drop-off in interception rate is stark—Darnold is on pace to throw more than double the picks he managed last season—and the Seahawks’ offense will likely lean more heavily on the run game and play-action with Lock under center.
Betting Markets React
The injury announcement triggered an immediate reaction from oddsmakers. Before the news, Seattle was listed as an 11.5- to 12.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook. Following Macdonald’s announcement, the line shifted sharply to Seahawks -8.5, a four-point swing. The logic is simple: Darnold has struggled with ball security, and Lock’s ability to protect the football—he threw zero interceptions in his Week 2 start—makes the Seahawks a slightly less risky favorite. Seattle still enters the game as the preferred side, but the spread acknowledges that the offense will be different without its starter.
Peter Dewey of Sports Illustrated Betting noted that the line movement was one of the more significant adjustments triggered by a single player’s status this week. With Darnold out, Seattle’s odds of winning the NFC West also take a hit, though the team remains in contention thanks to a manageable remaining schedule.
Looking Ahead
Seattle’s next opportunity for Darnold to return is Week 11, when the team has its bye week. Until then, Lock will take the snaps against a Cardinals team that knows his capabilities all too well. Arizona previously held Lock to a 19-of-26, 235-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 2, and the Cardinals’ defense will look to pressure him early again. For Seattle, the priority is simple: get back to .500 and keep the playoff dream alive, even if it means trusting a quarterback who has already proven he can move the ball against Arizona.
For fans tracking the quarterback situation, the coming weeks will be a test of adaptability. The Seahawks have shown they can win with Lock, but they have also seen what happens when Darnold’s turnovers creep back into the game. The quad injury is the latest chapter in a season defined by offensive instability, and the Cardinals are poised to exploit whatever rhythm—or lack thereof—the Seahawks find on Sunday.