The Seattle Seahawks began their 2026 NFL season with a Super Bowl LX rematch against the New England Patriots, a game marked by an early injury to starting quarterback Sam Darnold and a surprising comeback led by his backup, Drew Lock.

Darnold sustained a hip injury on the fifth play of the game. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald stated after the game that doctors have ruled out a fracture, alleviating immediate concerns about an extended absence. However, Darnold is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday, which will provide a clearer timeline for his return.

"Let’s say it’s good news right now," Macdonald said. "At this point, we were able to rule out a fracture. There’s some more tests to be done. But that’s what I’m saying when it’s positive."

With Darnold sidelined, the Seahawks turned to Drew Lock. Lock, who had minimal practice repetitions with the team, entered the game with the Seahawks trailing 10-0 in the third quarter. He engineered a comeback, connecting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 45-yard touchdown pass to tie the game. Lock also completed key passes and scrambled for yardage to set up a go-ahead field goal, giving the Seahawks a 13-10 lead. He finished the game completing 72.7% of his passes and outplayed Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who threw three interceptions.

"It was a blast," Lock said. "Such an awesome night."

Despite the adversity, the Patriots mounted a late drive, reaching the Seahawks' 16-yard line with 26 seconds remaining. However, a late interception by Maye sealed the victory for Seattle.

"We don't waiver," Smith-Njigba said. "We don't run from adversity. That's the guys we are. That's the team this is."

The Seahawks' ability to overcome challenges, including an opponent's quarterback injury and a deficit, was highlighted by receiver Cooper Kupp. He emphasized the team's expectation to find ways to win, regardless of circumstances.

"I think there's something to be said in the NFL about expectation that you have for yourself," Kupp said. "And I think you can get into games, through whatever your experience has been in football, and you get into that last four minutes, and you either have this expectation you're gonna find a way to win, or you have the expectation that something's gonna go wrong, and you're gonna find a way to lose.

"And we've got a lot of guys on this team, I would say just about everyone on this team, if not everyone, has the expectation that we're gonna find a way to win the game. And that goes a long way."