Sam Darnold Brushes Off Doubters After Leading Seahawks to Super Bowl LX

Darnold had one of his best performances in a victory over the Rams in the NFC championship game.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold led his team to an NFC championship game victory over the Los Angeles Rams, clinching a berth in Super Bowl LX. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Sam Darnold has his redemption story.

On Sunday, Darnold led the Seahawks to 31–27 win over the Rams in the NFC championship game, clinching a spot in Super Bowl LX. The 28-year-old quarterback is now with his fifth NFL team and has led them to the big game.

It was a remarkable season for Darnold. After leading the Vikings to a 14–3 record in 2024, they decided to let him walk and handed the reins of the franchise over to J.J. McCarthy. Darnold’s poor performance in a 27–9 wild-card round loss to the Rams may have helped make up Minnesota’s mind.

Like three other NFL franchises before them, the Vikings decided to let Darnold go rather than continue to rely on him.

Darnold signed a three-year, $105 million deal with the Seahawks in the offseason and earned that big salary immediately. He completed a career-best 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards, with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His passer rating (99.1) and QBR (56.0) left much to be desired, but he came up big in big moments.

On Sunday, in the biggest game of his life, Darnold went 25-of-36 for 346 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was at his best when it mattered.

After the game, he was asked about proving the many doubters he’s had during his career wrong. The veteran quarterback decided to take the high road.

“That doesn’t matter to me,” Darnold said. “I just come to work every single day with these guys. These guys in this locker room, that’s what it’s about to me, man. The way that we’ve come to work every single day... one day at a time. And we’re here, and we did it.”

Sam Darnold’s career numbers

The Jets selected Darnold with the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and the USC product was expected to help turn the franchise around. That didn’t happen.

In three tumultuous years, Darnold made 38 starts and put up woeful numbers. He completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 8,097 yards, with 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He averaged a dismal 6.6 yards per attempt, and his passer rating (78.7) and QBR (45.9) were ugly. New York went 13-25 in his starts.

In April of 2021, the Jets traded Darnold to the Panthers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2021, and second and fourth-round picks in 2022. He spent two seasons in Carolina and didn’t improve much. He completed 59.5% of his passes in 18 games (17 starts) and threw 16 touchdowns against 16 interceptions. His passer rating dropped to 77.7, while his QBR plummeted to 38.8.

After backing up Brock Purdy with the 49ers in 2023, he signed with the Vikings before the 2024 campaign. McCarthy was expected to start, but a knee injury sidelined him for the season, thrusting Darnold into the starting spot. He shined.

In 2024, Darnold set then-career-highs in completion percentage (66.2%), yards (4,319), touchdowns (35), passer rating (102.5), and QBR (57.3). Minnesota was one of the best teams in the NFL on his watch, but after the season the franchise decided to let him walk.

It would appear that was a bad decision.

Darnold has finally found a home, and now he’ll be a Super Bowl starting quarterback.

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