Sam Darnold has been one of the biggest stories of the 2025 NFL season. After a bounceback year in 2024, the former third overall pick in the 2018 Draft joined the Seattle Seahawks and has delivered results from the get-go. In his first season in the Emerald City, Darnold led Seattle to Super Bowl LX, where they will take on the New England Patriots.
Although the quarterback showdown between Sam Darnold and Drake Maye commands the spotlight in Super Bowl LX, neither quarterback is immune to the risks that come with every NFL game. Injuries can occur, and the “next man up” mentality can always prove decisive. In that regard, who could replace Darnold under center is something many fans across the league are wondering.
Just like Darnold has proved critics wrong time and again in his career, his backup in Seattle could be faced with the ultimate test in Super Bowl LX. As announced by the Seahawks on their official depth chart, Drew Lock will be the second-string quarterback behind Darnold ahead of Super Bowl LX. Moreover, rookie quarterback out of Alabama, Jalen Milroe, will be the third quarterback on the Seahawks’ depth chart.
Lock and load
Seattle faces a similar scenario to that of its counterparts in New England with Drake Maye’s backup quarterback on the Patriots’ depth chart. Both have been treated to such commanding campaigns from their starters that the backups barely saw the field. Moreover, when they did, it was in garbage time as the Hawks or Pats thrashed the opposition.
As a result, Lock appeared in five games, yet barely threw the pigskin: just two completions—out of three pass attempts—for 15 yards and no scores. With so much preparation and film study going into the Super Bowl, if the Seahawks are forced to play Lock, it may put the Patriots in trouble, as they don’t know exactly what to expect from him.
Seahawks could be in for trouble
However, that’s a broad-brush view of the silver lining. Needless to say, if Darnold—who has played through an injury in the playoffs—is forced to leave the game, it may well be the end for the Hawks. The same can be said about Maye and the Patriots, though. In today’s NFL, boasting two starting-caliber QBs is a luxury not many teams—if any—can afford.
Seattle and New England feature question marks rather than certainties in their QB depth, but if their starters have taught them any lesson, it’s that the uncertain is only a question waiting to be answered. Make no mistake, while his legs may tremble and his hands shake at first, Lock is ready to prove himself to the rest of the league, and Super Bowl LX is the best platform he may ever come across to do so.