Sam Darnold suffers hip injury on Seahawks' opening drive. Fracture ruled out but more tests needed

SEATTLE (AP) — Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury that knocked him out of Seattle's season opener against the New England Patriots on Wednesday night, a potentially significant blow to the Super Bowl champions' title defense.

Coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold didn't break any bones while adding that more tests were needed.

Darnold was sacked on Seattle's first series by Dre'Mont Jones, and the quarterback's right leg appeared to take the brunt of the impact as Jones drove him to the turf. Darnold limped off the field, was examined in the sideline medical tent and then limped to the locker room.

The Seahawks initially said Darnold was questionable, then announced before halftime that he would not return. Backup Drew Lock replaced him and went 16 of 22 for 187 yards and a touchdown as the Seahawks rallied for a 13-10 victory.

“At this point we were able to rule out a fracture,” Macdonald said, calling the initial diagnosis “positive.”

Darnold's injury was a deflating early moment for Seattle in the rematch of last season's Super Bowl, in which the Seahawks beat the Patriots 29-13.

“I feel like I know Sam really well. He was going to do everything he can to stay out there, but it’s just one of those things where he had to go get looked at,” Lock said.

Darnold, 29, did not miss a game last season as he led the Seahawks to the title. He threw for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in the regular season as Seattle won a franchise-record 14 games.

It was his first season with the Seahawks after reviving his career with the Vikings in 2024, when he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Drafted third overall in the 2018 draft out of Southern California by the Jets, Darnold had a 13-25 record and a 78.6 passer rating over his initial three seasons for New York. He also played for Carolina and was the backup to Brock Purdy in San Francisco.

Darnold was 1 of 2 for 13 yards against New England before he left. The Seahawks fell behind 7-0 at halftime, but Lock started to play better in the second half.

“It was great to to get in here at half, put the plays up on the board, talk about our openers coming out of the half, really get those dialed in,” Lock said. “I think it’s also a little bit of the just feeling the flow of the game, getting back into this, finding ways to in the future be able to snap into it quicker. That’s just the life of a backup.”

Down 10-3 in the fourth quarter, Lock hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth-and-1, and the star receiver dashed to the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown.

“It’s tough losing (Darnold). I mean, he’s the head of the snake, but we have each other’s backs,” Smith-Njigba said. “We fully trust in Drew Lock to come in and do his thing, done it time and time again. So we just have to have each other’s backs.”

Lock, 29, has spent two stints with the Seahawks. He was with Seattle from 2022-23, then spent a season with the New York Giants before returning.

He played only in mop-up duty last season, completing two passes for 15 yards in five games.

Lock, a second-round pick out of Missouri by the Broncos, started for Denver in 2020, throwing for 2,933 yards with 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

“In the moment, I mean, you’re hurting for Sam, obviously,” receiver Cooper Kupp said. “But in the moment, you got to find ways to move forward and figure out how to go out there and win a football game.”

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, (14) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Dre'mont Jones, behind, during the first half an NFL football game, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, down center, is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Dre'mont Jones, behind, as New England Patriots linebacker Elijah Ponder (91), linebacker Robert Spillane (14), linebacker Christian Elliss (53), and defensive tackle Milton Williams (97) look on during the first half an NFL football game , Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold throws a pass during warmups before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold turns with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, center, is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Dre'mont Jones, left, as Seattle Seahawks linebacker Connor O'Toole is at right, during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff knew in 2024 that a student had reported being gang raped at a fraternity house, but never followed up to learn what had happened to her or whether any of the accused students had been punished.

In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, a day before Cornell’s Faculty Senate began debating a no-confidence resolution in his administration, Kotlikoff acknowledged that he did not know until recently that the woman had dropped out of Cornell or that students had been expelled or suspended over the incident.

Kotlikoff publicly addressed what he called “deeply disturbing” allegations involving drug use and sexual violence at the Chi Phi fraternity house in a November 2024 message to the Cornell community, saying criminal and university investigations were underway.

He subsequently convened a presidential task force to examine how Cornell handles sexual assault, but said this week that he never followed up to learn the outcomes of the criminal or Title IX investigations into the woman’s allegations.

The case has drawn national attention since the woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints.

On Tuesday, Kotlikoff announced a ban on fraternity parties through the end of the academic year and plans to give state police a role in investigating sexual assault reports.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to pursue charges after reviewing a summary prepared by Cornell University Police, but later said it omitted key details. He reopened the investigation after the lawsuit was filed. Gov. Kathy Hochul subsequently removed him from the case, appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor and ordered an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the allegations.

The Cornell Faculty Senate's proposed resolution, declaring no confidence in the administration's ability to handle reports of sexual assault on campus, reflects growing concerns among some faculty members that people who report sexual misconduct face institutional barriers and fear retaliation. Some have called for Kotlikoff’s resignation, while others have urged patience as independent investigations proceed.

Kotlikoff was to address the Faculty Senate before members began debating the resolution. Debate was expected to continue Oct. 28, followed by electronic voting by the Faculty Senate, which has approximately 130 voting members. A simple majority is required for passage.

For Ariana Kim, an associate music professor at Cornell and co-sponsor of the resolution, Kotlikoff’s acknowledgment that he had not followed up on the woman’s case was deeply troubling.

“I mean, that’s appalling in and of itself, right?” Kim said. “That you don’t know about a student who faced an alleged horrific crime, that you don’t think to check in.”

Kim, a Grammy-nominated violinist, said she was motivated to take action after being struck by Jane Doe's story, as well as her own personal experiences on campus since she started at Cornell a decade ago as a young academic in her 20s. She said when she experienced bullying and sexual harassment by senior colleagues, Cornell failed to properly document her complaints and that she was never clearly informed what disciplinary action, if any, had been taken.

“I was asked what I had done to provoke the situation,” she said.

Kim said she continued to be expected to work alongside colleagues she said had harassed her. Her efforts to avoid them later became a point of criticism during her tenure review. In one instance, a senior professor cited her unwillingness to accept his advice and her avoidance of him in explaining his vote against granting her tenure.

Kim spent more than a year appealing the initial denial of tenure, a process during which she said she lost 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and struggled to eat or sleep. The original decision was ultimately overturned, and she secured tenure.

Now seeking promotion to full professor, Kim said she recognizes that publicly criticizing university leaders could again jeopardize her career.

“I’m speaking out publicly against this administration that may very well deny my promotion,” she said.

Kim said she has considered leaving Cornell many times over the years but is determined to stay and make the university safer for those who come after her.

“If by me fighting, it helps move the needle a little bit so that my female students aren’t going through this in 10 years or my female colleagues aren’t going through this in five years, then maybe it’s worth it.”

Anne Marie Brady, a senior extension associate at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and another co-sponsor of the resolution, questioned whether Cornell University Police can independently investigate serious allegations of sexual misconduct.

“There doesn’t seem to be independence between the administration and the Cornell Police Department,” Brady said. She pointed to its handling of campus protests as one reason for her concerns and said serious criminal allegations should be investigated by outside law enforcement agencies.

Brady welcomed Kotlikoff’s announcement that state police would take on a role in sexual assault investigations, saying it showed the administration was listening to faculty concerns. But she questioned the timing, a day before the Senate was scheduled to begin debating the no-confidence resolution.

“I’m happy that they are listening — we need a dialogue,” she said. “We need to debate and discuss this. But I also feel it’s a bit disingenuous that it comes out just before the resolution.”

Demonstrators march from the Washington Monument to the White House during a "Stop Sexual Violence" protest in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Demonstrators march from the Washington Monument to the White House during a "Stop Sexual Violence" protest in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)