Sam Darnold signing will only be worth it if Seahawks beat 49ers

When the Seattle Seahawks signed Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100 million contract this offseason, many questioned whether or not he would be able to truly lead the team to the playoffs.

Darnold proved critics wrong by going 14-3 for the second straight year, showing that his run with the Minnesota Vikings last season wasn't a fluke. However, Darnold didn't win a playoff game as the Vikings were bounced in the Wild Card round by the Los Angeles Rams. This weekend, he will be given the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong again if he can lead the Seahawks to victory against the San Francisco 49ers.

"Sam Darnold quarterbacked the Seahawks to an NFC West title and the NFC's No. 1 seed, but his play is declining entering the playoffs. He has eight total touchdowns and 10 turnovers since Week 11. His NFL-leading 20 turnovers (14 interceptions and six fumbles lost) in 2025 indicate a player prone to making a back-breaking error at any moment," CBS Sports contributor Garrett Podell wrote.

"Just last year, Darnold also helped the Vikings to a 14-win regular season before collapsing with an NFL playoff-record nine sacks in his postseason debut. The Vikings lost 27-9 in the wild card round to the Rams as a result.

"His 8.5 yards per pass attempt (second-best in the NFL) and passer rating (99.1, 11th-best in the NFL) are solid, but there's always a legitimate chance he could revert to the Jets' "seeing ghosts" version of himself, as he did in last year's playoffs."

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold throws a pass against the Carolina Panthers. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Darnold will be put to the test vs. 49ers

Darnold will have a lot of help from the Seahawks defense, which ranks No. 2 in the NFL this season in terms of yards allowed behind the Houston Texans, but he still needs to be able to produce.

The Seahawks are hoping that Darnold can break out of his late-season slump for the playoffs because they won't be able to win without him taking care of the football and leading scoring drives.

Kickoff between the Seahawks and 49ers is scheduled for tomorrow at 5 p.m. PT inside Lumen Field. Fans can watch the game on Fox or stream it on the Fox One app.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers. | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Darnold will be put to the test vs. 49ers

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