A brutal 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears just landed on our Emerald City, and honestly, that score barely scratches the surface of the mess brewing at Lumen Field, especially when it comes to Sam Darnold’s future. Remember that NFC Championship Game brilliance he showed? Man, that feels like a lifetime ago. This 2026 season for our Hawks has been a straight-up horror show from the jump, and while the offensive woes aren’t *all* on Darnold, he’s definitely got a helping hand in this disaster. We are way past asking about benching him for *this* season, especially with Drew Lock sidelined with that elbow injury. But barring an absolutely epic second half, Darnold’s future as the Seahawks’ starting QB has to be called into question. Seriously, what is happening?
From Franchise Guy to “Worst Version”
It’s wild to think we were talking about a guy who was part of a Super Bowl championship team, now facing the chopping block. For about 10 weeks last year and through that playoff run, Darnold looked like the franchise quarterback we’d been dreaming of. But that guy has disappeared, regressing back to something close to the worst version of himself. It’s a level of volatility that just does not scream “massive contract extension” to anyone watching. The guy’s deal is up in 2027, which means he could play out the rest of his contract, hoping for another “prove-it” moment. And who knows, maybe with a different offensive coordinator again? But after a start to the season like this, you have to wonder if John Schneider is already making moves.
John Schneider Is Already Looking for the Next Guy
This is where it gets real, 12s. John Schneider is the kind of GM who makes pivots, and he is undoubtedly already looking for his next quarterback. What are the options? Could be he really believes in Year 3 Jalen Milroe, or maybe he re-signs Lock to essentially try to recreate that short-lived Darnold magic with someone else under center. Or, big moves could be coming: trading for a quarterback who can light a fire, or maybe even drafting one of those highly-touted prospects. The bottom line is, the conversation has shifted dramatically from “is Sam the guy?” to “who is the *next* guy?”
So, what do you think? After that Bears game and everything we’ve seen, is Sam Darnold still going to be our starting quarterback for the Hawks next season? This ain’t just about winning games now; it is about the future of our franchise. We gotta be watching every move closely.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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