Devon Witherspoon #21 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans after teammate Julian Love #20 intercepted a pass against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in the game at Lumen Field on in Seattle, Washington, Sept. 9, 2026. Jane Gershovich/Getty Images
Defending Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks kicked off the season with a victory despite losing Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold in the process.
Darnold went down with a hip injury during the early going in Wednesday’s 13–10 win over the New England Patriots. Darnold’s absence didn’t thwart the champs as backup quarterback Drew Lock found reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown, which tied the game 10–10 in the fourth quarter.
“I was happy it was a pass play. They thought it was a run. I believe they sent a blitz. My job was to find the zone,” Smith-Njigba told reporters afterward. ”Drew did a great job finding me, and then after that, just do what I do. Try to get upfield. Protect the ball and great uphill blocking by our tight ends.”
Seattle ultimately won the game on a 26-yard field goal by kicker Jason Myers after an eight-play, 39-yard drive with 3:30 left in the game. New England looked poised to rally behind quarterback Drake Maye, who led a 15-play, 57-yard drive in the final minutes of the game.
Maye converted on a fourth-down pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins, and Maye found Hollins again on a 12-yard completion at the Seattle 28-yard line with 32 seconds left.
Their connection got too comfortable as Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe spoiled Maye’s third attempt to find Hollins, as the corner snatched the ball in the end zone for a game-sealing interception. Maye was originally looking to throw the ball away on that last play.
Related Stories
“Yeah, it was something where we had a certain protection on where we were cutting, and I was trying to get rid of it and realized we were – Mac was back there in the back and didn’t put enough on it to get it out,” Maye told reporters afterward. “And it was just unacceptable. We had a chance to send it to overtime at the worst. And the only thing you can do is turn the ball over. And that’s what I did.”
Maye had a solid first half with a touchdown pass, but things turned sour in the second half with three interceptions. He finished with 23-33 passing for 178 yards and a touchdown plus 47 yards rushing on seven carries.
His 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Eli Raridon put the Patriots ahead 7–0 in the second quarter as the Seahawks navigated life without Darnold. New England made it 10–0 on kicker Andy Borregales’ 50-yard field goal during the third quarter, and the Patriots looked in command going into the fourth quarter, even after Myers’ first field goal for the Seahawks in the third.
Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter in the game at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Sept. 9, 2026. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Maye simply didn’t have his way against the Seahawks defense again with the three picks in the second half, an eerie repeat of the Super Bowl. He threw two picks in the 29–13 defeat in Santa Clara, and the Patriots didn’t score until the fourth quarter of that game.
Darnold became one of the heroes that night with 202 yards passing and a touchdown, which capped his career turnaround. The former No. 3 pick in 2018 had struggled much of his career until a big 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings followed by the Super Bowl run with Seattle.
The Seahawks will need to move forward without Darnold, but it may not be as dire as once feared.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald gave an update on Darnold’s status afterward, though the coach indicated that his team is still working through the injury details.
“Let’s just say it’s good news,” Macdonald told reporters afterward. “Right now fracture is [ruled] out, which is great news.”
New England also dealt with a significant injury to star wide receiver A.J. Brown, who made his Patriots debut on Wednesday. Brown injured his ankle during the game and didn’t return.
Seattle and New England fortunately get long breaks with the early Week 1 game, and neither team plays again until Sept. 20.
