🙅 Seahawks Slam Brakes on Jalen Milroe Hype Train as Coach Macdonald Full‑Throttles Sam Darnold
Seattle’s coach Mike Macdonald has firmly crushed rumors that rookie Jalen Milroe might leapfrog veteran Sam Darnold atop the QB hierarchy:
**“No, you guys are crazy,”** Macdonald said on 710 AM Seattle, calling any suggestion of a QB switch “just not going to happen.” He emphasized Darnold as the clear Week 1 starter, despite Milroe’s wild athletic upside .
Darnold, fresh off a Pro Bowl season in Minnesota and now a $100 million Seahawk, remains entrenched in the QB1 role. 90% of first-team snaps are his to lose .
Meanwhile, Milroe—drafted in the 3rd round and known for his dynamic running ability—will be used in package plays, especially in red zone or gadget situations, not to challenge for the starting job .
🧭 Where This Leaves Milroe
1. Limited reps, major potential: Think quarterback-swiss-army-knife. Plays will be similar to what the Manning Passing Academy attendee might draw, though scaled for NFL spot usage .
2. Development under watchful eye: Macdonald’s stance echoes Seattle’s embrace of gradual growth—Milroe will learn behind Darnold’s steadiness and former QB coach Jordan Palmer’s tutelage .
3. No leapfrogging QB controversy: Despite Darnold’s struggles in OTAs (two INTs in a row), Macdonald reaffirmed unwavering trust in his starter .
✅ Bottom Line
Milroe won’t be starting anytime soon—but that’s by design. Seattle’s plan:
Let Darnold run the show, while
Injecting Milroe sparingly with high-impact snaps, and
Allowing Milroe to grow before taking a full-time role.
This reset doesn’t kill Milroe’s long-term upside—it protects it. As the Seahawks patiently build around Darnold, Milroe gets the seasoning he needs, watching closely and ready to strike at the right moment.
