What Seahawks QB Sam Darnold said about injury as Super Bowl looms

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sam Darnold’s performance in the Seahawks’ two playoff wins to get them to the Super Bowl spoke loudly about how he has recovered from the oblique injury he suffered three weeks ago.

Since he’s the starting quarterback in a Super Bowl against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, his health remains a question of intrigue.

Asked about his oblique Wednesday when he met the media before practice, Darnold indicated he feels as healthy as he has since he suffered the injury in a practice on Jan. 15, three days before the 41-6 Division Round playoff win over the 49ers.

“It feels really good,” Darnold said. “Definitely the time off has helped a little bit. I’m always just going to take it one step at a time, do my rehab and do everything I need to do to make sure it feels great going into practice and going into the game obviously on Sunday. It feels great.

“But again it’s just one thing to add to the routine, and I think making sure I keep the routine the same as I would if we were in Seattle, just practicing on a day-to-day basis here in the hotel, is going to be very important this week.”

Darnold was limited in practices last week when the Seahawks held a walk-through Thursday and a regular practice on Friday at the VMAC before traveling to San Jose for Super Bowl week.

The team indicated that Darnold’s injury is not considered to be a factor as he was not given a designation on the game status report that the Seahawks and Patriots had to release last Friday. That report indicated if a player would be considered as out, doubtful or questionable for the game.

Still, Darnold may again be limited in practice this week.

When speaking to the media before the team’s practice at San Jose State University, coach Mike Macdonald said it was unclear how much work Darnold will get.

“We’ll see today,” Macdonald said, adding that Darnold has been able to do an increasing amount of work in recent practices.

“But he’s in a great spot and I know he’s really confident. We’ll see how it plays out. Not entirely sure how many throws or what percentage (of practice takes part in) right now.”

Darnold was listed as limited for all three practices heading into the NFC title game against the Rams, but played every snap of the 31-27 win on Jan. 25. It was reported that he was expected to take a painkilling injection before that game, as he also did before the Divisional Round.

After the win over the Rams, Macdonald made clear how limited Darnold had been in practice that week.

“To come out the way he played barely practicing, just barely throwing the ball, is really incredible,” Macdonald said of Darnold, who completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Rams. “It should go down as one of the best performances in playoff history I would imagine. I mean, hard to stack it. I can’t imagine anybody playing any better.”

Darnold said one thing he hopes helps the injury is getting a lot of rest early this week.

The Seahawks mostly kept to a regular practice schedule after arriving in San Jose on Sunday afternoon, meaning some light work Monday and taking Tuesday off. Macdonald said the team would put on pads for at least the beginning of Wednesday’s practice in keeping to their usual game-week practice routine.

“The biggest thing has been early in the week, these last couple days, I was able to get a lot of sleep,” he said. “I think that’s huge because as you get closer to the game, your nerves and just your mind might start thinking about the game and things that can happen, and you’re going to bed a little later, you’ve got to wake up earlier. So I just think getting as much sleep as I possibly could these last could days is going to help me.”