SAN JOSE, Calif. — With four days to go before Super Bowl LX, neither Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald nor Sam Darnold seems concerned about the quarterback’s oblique injury.
“It feels really good,” Darnold said Wednesday. “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 … on Sunday.”
Macdonald, meanwhile, said his quarterback is “in a great spot” and progressing by the day, while adding that the Seahawks hadn’t been in pads for two weeks and that they would be in pads for part of practice Wednesday.
There has never been a doubt about Darnold’s availability for the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. He played through his left oblique injury in both of Seattle’s playoff games and threw three touchdown passes in the win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 25. He did not have an initial game designation when both teams were required to release those last Friday.
But there has been a question of how much Darnold will do in practice this week and was once again listed as limited participant on Wednesday in the Seahawks’ first injury report of Super Bowl week. The Seahawks have now listed him as a limited participant on all eight injury reports they’ve released since he hurt his oblique Jan. 15.
After Darnold’s performance against the Rams, Macdonald said his quarterback “barely” practiced that week.
Every Seahawks player practiced in some capacity Wednesday. Left tackle Charles Cross was limited with the foot injury he played through in the NFC Championship Game. Rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, who was not on the injury report last week, was limited Wednesday with an ankle injury.
The Seahawks arrived in the Bay Area on Sunday evening. Players worked out Monday before a day off Tuesday, as Macdonald kept his team in its normal weekly cadence. They’re set to practice the rest of the week at San Jose State University.
“We’ll see today,” Macdonald said Wednesday of how much work Darnold will get in practice. “It’s definitely gradually increasing by the day. So, some days more than others. But he’s in a great spot. I know he’s really confident. We’ll see how today plays out. I’m not entirely sure how many throws or what percentage of throws. I can’t really give you right now.”
Each team will release its first injury report of the week later Wednesday.
