Sam Darnold Reveals What It Means to Represent USC at the Super Bowl

SAN JOSE- All eyes were on Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold on Super Bowl LX Opening Night. The former USC Trojans quarterback has had a career resurgence the past two seasons and it has led him to this moment. Darnold is about to become the first ever former USC quarterback to start in the Super Bowl, something he was not aware of until recently.

Sam Darnold on Representing USC in Super Bowl: “It’s An Honor”

USC Trojans Sam Darnold Starting Quarterback Super Bowl LX Opening Night Seattle Seahawks Carson Palmer New England Patriots — Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sam Darnold spoke to reporters for an hour at Super Bowl LX Opening Night. He was asked what it meant to be the first USC Trojans quarterback to start in the Super Bowl.

“I didn’t realize that I was the first SC quarterback until I saw the news I think a week ago,” Darnold said. “It’s just an honor. It’s an honor to be playing in this game, to be representing the university.”

USC has had a long line of great quarterbacks, but not one of them has started in a Super Bowl. When the Seahawks kick off Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium, Darnold will become the first. He was asked asked if he’s heard from any of the USC quarterbacks before him since earning a trip to the Super Bowl.

“I’ve heard from a couple of them,” Darnold said. “It’s so crazy just because I grew up idolizing a lot of those guys that went to SC.”

Darnold started for USC in 2016 and 2017 before being selected No. 3 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. At USC, he threw for 7,229 yards and 57 touchdowns. Among the best quarterbacks that played for the Trojans before Darnold were Matt Leonard, Carson Palmer, and Rodney Peete.

The closest a former USC quarterback had come to starting in the Super Bowl in recent years was Carson Palmer. Palmer was with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 and led them all the way to the NFC Championship game where they fell to the Carolina Panthers. Palmer finished second in MVP voting that season with 4,671 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes.

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Handful of Former USC Trojans On Seattle Seahawks

There is no shortage of former Trojans on this Seahawks team, even besides Darnold. Seahawks’ linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, defensive end Leonard Williams, and defensive tackle Brandon Pili all used to don the cardinal and gold in college.

Williams was asked at Super Bowl LX Opening Night about how his time at USC allowed him to be a great pro and the connection he still has with his USC teammates on Seattle.

“I think USC is a great program…They frequently pump players into the NFL. And because of that, I think they know how to prepare guys for the NFL,” Williams said. “We’re really connected…It definitely means a lot for us. When we look at each other we remember those days when we were young and in college and it was all just a dream."