Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is seeking a career milestone as the former USC Trojans star looks for his first NFL playoff win as a starter. Darnold and the No. 1-seeded Seahawks are hosting the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
The Seahawks earned a first round bye and have not played in two weeks, but Darnold is battling an oblique injury
A Lot on the Line for Sam Darnold 
Nov 23, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) leaves the field after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
If Darnold indeed plays against the 49ers, it would be the second playoff start of his career. Darnold made his first playoff start last season for the Minnesota Vikings and it did not go well. The Vikings lost to the Los Angeles Rams 27-9 in the wild card round. Darnold turned the ball over two times.
Darnold has helped lead Seattle to a 14-3 2025 season and the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs. Backed by their dominant defense, this Seahawks team has the makings of a team that can go on a deep playoff run.
If Darnold holds this team back and they fall short, there will be blame thrown at him. It would be hard to find a quarterback in these playoffs with as much pressure on them as Darnold.
A good performance and a playoff win will silence some of the doubt. Another bad playoff performance and loss and he will have to go into 2026 with the narrative of coming up short when it matters most.
Sam Darnold Injury Update 
Dec 28, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks to throw a pass while scrambling against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The NFL world was taken by surprise earlier this week when the Seahawks listed Sam Darnold as questionable just days before their playoff game vs. the 49ers. Seattle has not played since their Jan. 3 win over the 49ers and Darnold came out of that game healthy.
Darnold was listed as questionable with an oblique injury. He didn’t seem to be too worried about when he spoke to the media following the news.
“I feel like I’ll be ready to go Saturday,” Darnold said. “Never had oblique issues but it’s fun. We’ll attack it the next couple days and be ready to go for Saturday…Very low percentage (of missing the game). Probably closer to zero.”
Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
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USC to the NFL
Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws in the pocket during against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
Prior to his NFL career, Sam Darnold played for the USC Trojans from 2015-2017. He was the starter for USC in 2016 and 2017, totaling 7,229 passing yards and 57 touchdown passes.
The most memorable game he had as a Trojan was in 2016 when he led them to an epic Rose Bowl win over the Penn State Nittany Lions by a final score of 52-49.
After his time with USC was done after the 2017 season, Darnold entered the 2018 NFL Draft. He was selected No. 3 overall by the New York Jets.
Darnold struggled with the Jets and bounced around the league for few seasons. He started a handful of games with the Carolina Panthers and then became a backup for the 49ers in 2023. Darnold’s career resurgence began with the Vikings in 2024, where he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. He signed in the offseason with the Seahawks.