PITTSBURGH -- Sam Darnold’s hip injury in Seattle has put the Steelers in a spot where they can read the situation two very different ways.
They can see it as a chance to pounce, or as a reminder that the move they already made might have been the right one all along.
Darnold went down on the opening drive of the Seattle Seahawks’ season opener against the New England Patriots and did not return. Afterward, the team said a fracture had been ruled out, but more MRI results were still pending.
Drew Lock took over from there and helped Seattle escape with a 13-10 win. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, but the offense clearly wasn’t humming the way it is when the Seahawks are at full strength.
That leaves Pittsburgh with a decision to think through. The Steelers can treat the injury as proof of how quickly a season can change and how important a backup quarterback really is in the NFL.
Or they can look at it another way: maybe this is the moment to call Seattle and see whether it wants a new starter.
Mason Rudolph has reportedly been available in trade discussions all the way up to the start of the season, and Pittsburgh has kept four quarterbacks on the roster while leaving the door open for a possible move. Seattle might be the cleanest fit out there right now. It’s a team with real expectations, trying to stay afloat while its starter is out.
Maybe the Seahawks trust Lock. Maybe they don’t want to rush into anything. But if there’s any doubt about him - or about Jalen Milroe behind him - then a veteran quarterback with a strong arm, a winning NFL record, and playoff experience with the Steelers starts to look appealing.
At the same time, Pittsburgh could use the whole situation as a reason to hold steady. Not as a push to move Rudolph, but as proof of why keeping him matters.
If Will Howard and Drew Allar aren’t ready to step in as starters, Rudolph suddenly looks like exactly the kind of insurance a team wants. And the Steelers, who believe they’re built to contend for a Super Bowl, just saw how fast that insurance can become necessary.
For now, the reaction can go either way. The Darnold injury has put a spotlight on Pittsburgh’s quarterback room, and the next move belongs to the Steelers.
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