Overview
- A short clip from Seattle’s 13-3 win at Levi’s Stadium showed Sam Darnold walking past Laura Rutledge, prompting online claims he ignored a postgame interview.
- Rutledge posted on X that she had told Darnold there was time before going off air and that he could greet others first.
- Darnold located former 49ers teammate Brock Purdy for an on-field embrace, then returned and completed the interview.
- ESPN was simultaneously interviewing Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, which explains the brief delay with Darnold.
- The rapid misreading drew on a recent Justin Herbert episode, but in this case Rutledge emphasized there was no avoidance and Darnold answered questions normally.