QB Sam Darnold Shocks NFL by Bluntly Refusing to Wear LGBT Armband During the League’s Year of LGBT Support — Calls the “Woke” Program Unworthy of Honor on the Eve of Sunday’s Showdown With the 49ers
Seattle, Washington – January 2, 2026
The National Football League is no stranger to cultural controversy, but few moments have erupted as quickly or as intensely as the reaction surrounding Sam Darnold in the final days of the regular season. Just days before a decisive Week 18 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers — a game that will determine the division’s top seed, the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks stunned the league by publicly refusing to wear an LGBT armband, a symbol the NFL has encouraged throughout its league-wide year of LGBT advocacy.
While most players quietly followed the league’s direction, Darnold chose a different path. He did not attack the initiative, nor did he use inflammatory language. Instead, he made clear that he did not want to participate in the symbolic campaign. Speaking to reporters in Seattle ahead of the game, Darnold delivered a statement that immediately reverberated across the American sports landscape.
“I’ve thought very carefully about this,” Darnold said. “I respect people and everyone’s right to their own choices, but I don’t want — and I will not — represent any LGBT social campaign on the football field. I’m here to compete, to lead this team in games that matter, not to wear messages that I don’t believe belong in football. This decision is mine, and I accept whatever consequences come with it.”
The reaction was swift. Social media erupted with sharply divided responses. One segment of the public praised Darnold for standing his ground in what they see as an increasingly politicized sports environment. Others criticized the decision as insensitive, particularly during a year in which the NFL has amplified its support for the LGBT community across the league.
Inside the Seahawks’ locker room, the atmosphere was described as “delicate but not fractured.” Some teammates were said to understand and respect Darnold’s stance, while others chose to remain silent. The coaching staff declined to escalate the controversy, emphasizing that the team’s full focus remains on the high-stakes showdown with the 49ers — a game that will decide who finishes atop the division after the regular season.
The media response, however, was anything but quiet. Darnold’s decision quickly became the most discussed storyline of the final week, overshadowing tactical breakdowns and playoff scenarios surrounding one of the most important games of the Seahawks’ season.
Whether intentional or not, Darnold’s refusal has forced the NFL back into a broader debate about the boundary between personal belief and public responsibility. And as Week 18 approaches in Seattle, attention will not only be fixed on his throws against the 49ers, but also on his bare wrist — and the weight of a controversy that may linger long after the final whistle.
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