Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will miss the team's Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals due to a quad injury, head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed to reporters. Drew Lock will make his second start of the season in Darnold's place, though Lock is also managing an elbow injury that will be monitored throughout the week. Rookie Jalen Milroe serves as Lock's backup.
Macdonald noted that Lock is able to throw, but the extent of his workload is still being determined. The Seahawks are coming off a 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night, where Darnold completed 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Lock's previous start vs Cardinals
Lock's only other start this season came earlier against the Cardinals in Arizona, when Darnold was sidelined with a soft-tissue injury from the Week 1 victory over the New England Patriots. In that game, Lock completed 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns, leading Seattle to a 31-7 win. The Seahawks outgained Arizona 381 yards to 151, and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns.
Darnold has struggled since Seattle's Super Bowl run last season. He is 3-4 as a starter this year, averaging 211 passing yards per game with 10 touchdowns against nine interceptions. Since 2025, Darnold's 23 interceptions are tied for the most in the NFL, and his -0.67 EPA per dropback when pressured ranks last in the league.
CBS Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback Ben DiNucci suggested that Lock might actually give the 4-4 Seahawks a better chance to win. "Drew Lock might give the Seattle Seahawks a better chance to win at the quarterback position," DiNucci said.
On the other side, the Cardinals are also making a quarterback change. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur has benched Jacoby Brissett in favor of Gardner Minshew. Minshew came off the bench last week and threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys, erasing a 14-point deficit to secure a 33-30 overtime victory.
