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Sam Darnold hadn\u2019t been dealt a fair hand through his first eight NFL seasons. I don\u2019t need to dump on the Jets any more than they already have, but getting drafted to New York hasn\u2019t been a recipe for success in the NFL. He showed some signs of progress throughout his three years as a Jet, but it was more lows than highs.<\/p>\n
Then he went to Carolina and found himself in another horrible coaching situation under Matt Rhule. He was gone in under two years, then took a backup job in San Francisco. Darnold was never in San Francisco to lead the Niners, but he took the opportunity to learn from Kyle Shanahan how to truly run an NFL-style offense.<\/p>\n
Last season, it felt like Darnold was finally putting something together. He was 14-3 as a starter in Minnesota, but had a horrible final two games to end the season, and the doubts crept back in. The Vikings decided to roll with J.J. McCarthy this season<\/a>, and many felt like that was the right move. Darnold might\u2019ve been a flash-in-the-pan, and McCarthy was always supposed to be the future.<\/p>\n But Darnold proved everyone wrong this year. When the Seahawks moved on from Geno Smith, it seemed like a lateral move. In 2024, both QBs threw for 4,300 yards and had some minor turnover problems. However, Smith was heading into his age-35 season, while Darnold is still only 28. The upside for Darnold was worth the risk for Seattle, and it paid off.<\/p>\n With the Vikings, life was easy for Darnold, throwing to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. He didn\u2019t have that depth in Seattle, but he did have an elite rushing game and breakout star Jaxson Smith-Njigba.<\/a><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t see this leap happening, and you\u2019re lying to yourself if you did. Seattle was +2800 to win the NFC this year. However, just because I didn\u2019t see it coming doesn\u2019t mean I won\u2019t give Sam Darnold his flowers.<\/p>\n He\u2019s always come across as a likable guy who was never in the best of situations. He\u2019s now got a great team around him and a real shot to win a Super Bowl<\/a>. Not only that, but he could be back again here soon. He\u2019s under a favorable contract in terms of quarterbacks, and he\u2019s still pretty young. He\u2019s only three years older than Bo Nix.<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re a rival fan of Seattle, how can you not be happy for a guy like Darnold? Disney wishes they had come up with a comeback story this sweet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n