Former USC Quarterbacks Helping Make Trojans History in NFL

In week 4 of the NFL Season, history repeated itself as fans watched USC quarterback lore come full circle.

For the first time since 2009, three former Trojans started NFL games at quarterback in the same week. With a little bit of help from the transfer portal, three current NFL quarterbacks wore a USC jersey during their career.

And in a storybook twist, all three—New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, Seattle Seahawks veteran Sam Darnold, and Chicago Bears second-year starter Caleb Williams—walked off the field with victories.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams New York Giants Jaxson Dart Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold NFL USC Trojans football — Sep 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) prepares to throw the ball during the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

That’s right: USC’s quarterback lineage, often questioned in recent years, just had its most significant NFL moment in over a decade.

Trojans fans might recall that Dart transferred out of USC after the 2021 season and spent the majority of his college career at Ole Miss with Rebels coach Lane Kiffin. USC can't fully claim Dart as one of their own starting in the NFL, but his success brings about a unique stat for passers in the NFL that have worn the Trojans jersey.

Dart’s surprise promotion with the Giants, Darnold’s heroics in Seattle, and Williams’ growing poise in Chicago brought back echoes of Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Cassel carrying the Trojan banner in 2009.

Darnold Finds Redemption in Seattle

It was Sam Darnold who kicked things off on Thursday Night Football. The former USC starter from 2016–17, looked to get his second victory as the new signal call for the Seattle Seahawks.

Against the Vikings, Darnold went 18-of-26 for 242 yards and a touchdown, then authored the drive of the week.

With 23 seconds left and the game tied, he hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard strike that set up Jason Myers’ 52-yard game-winning field goal.

Dart’s Debut Sparks Giants

The week started with the biggest headline: the Giants benched veteran Russell Wilson for rookie Jaxson Dart, who played one season at USC in 2021 before transferring to Ole Miss.

Thrust into the spotlight against a previously undefeated Chargers team, Dart delivered.

He completed 13 of 20 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while adding 54 rushing yards and a score on the ground. His 15-yard touchdown run broke the game open, and his poise down the stretch sealed a 21-18 upset.

Williams Shows Grit in Chicago

Last was Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams—the 2022 Heisman winner who starred for USC from 2022 to 2023—added his chapter to USC’s quarterback renaissance.

He finished 22-of-37 for 212 yards, a touchdown, and a pick, but it was his resilience in crunch time that mattered most.

Trailing in the fourth, Williams went 5-for-6 on the decisive drive, capping it with a 27-yard strike to Rome Odunze and setting up DeAndre Swift’s go-ahead touchdown.

A blocked field goal on the final play preserved the 25-24 victory and gave Williams the kind of early signature win Bears fans have been craving.

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The First USC Trio Since 2009

USC Trojans quarterback Mark Sanchez Carson Palmer Matt Leinart USC Trojans football — Nov 8, 2008; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans coach Pete Carroll, right, and quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) celebrate after game against the California Golden Bears at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated California 17-3. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

To understand the weight of this moment, one has to go back to 2009.

That season, Carson Palmer (2002 Heisman winner, USC starter from 1998–2002) led the Cincinnati Bengals to a division title.

Mark Sanchez (2008 USC starter and Rose Bowl MVP) entered the league as a rookie with the New York Jets and guided them to the playoffs.

Matt Leinart (2004 Heisman winner, USC starter from 2003–05) got opportunities with the Arizona Cardinals, though inconsistency stalled his rise.

And Matt Cassel—who never started a game at USC but learned behind Palmer and Leinart—took over in Kansas City after his breakout season with New England and became the Chiefs’ full-time starter.

It was a rare alignment: four former USC quarterbacks starting NFL games in the same season.

That group cemented the Trojans’ reputation as “QBU” at the time, with both first-round stars and a long-shot backup-turned-starter carrying the brand forward.

This isn’t just a quirky stat for Trojans fans—it’s a tangible marker of USC’s presence in the NFL.

It doesn’t erase the uneven history of Trojan signal-callers in the pros, but it does reestablish USC as a program capable of producing quarterbacks who matter at the game’s highest level.

Week 4 proved that three different eras of USC football are now converging in the NFL spotlight.