Bent, Not Broken: Sam Darnold’s Road to Redemption

From seeing ghosts to seeing the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his hands, Seahawks QB Sam Darnold bent but never broke on his way to becoming a Super Bowl champion.

(KEVIN SABITUS—GETTY IMAGES)

Coming out of USC, Darnold was a projected top 3 pick in the draft, making him bound to either become a Brown, Giant, or Jet. Then, with the 3rd overall pick, the New York Jets drafted the young 20-year-old quarterback.

Darnold started his career perfectly, in his first career game, the Jets defeated the Lions 48 17, but from then on, it was downhill. He finished 13-25 in New York before the Jets shipped him to Carolina following the 2020 season

In the 2021 season, Carolina handed Darnold the starting job in 2021, and in the first three games, he looked convincing, going 3-0. But just as it did in NY, things went right back downhill. He would finish the season winning just one of his next 12 starts, and in 2022, he lost a quarterback battle to Baker Mayfield.

Entering free agency, Darnold was able to find a home in San Francisco. With the 49ers in 2023, he appeared in just one game and spent his time sitting behind Brock Purdy for the season.

Before the 2024 season, Darnold would enter free agency again and this time find a home in Minnesota with the Vikings. 

Coming into training camp, it looked like Darnold could be competing with newly drafted QB JJ McCarthy, but an injury that would sideline McCarthy the whole 2024 season made Darnold a one-man show in Minnesota.

The 27-year-old journeyman quarterback took that opportunity and ran with it. Darnold passed for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record, giving them a playoff berth. However, Darnold and company would lose to the Rams 27-9.

Following the outstanding year Darnold had, the Vikings decided to let him walk in free agency, and he found no problem finding a new home. Darnold inked a 3-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks.

The regular season for Sam Darnold looked a lot like it did in Minnesota; he led the Seahawks to a 14-3 season and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

And in the playoffs, he was magical.

Darnold started things off with a dominant 41-6 win over NFC West rival the 49ers in the divisional round. The following week back at home, Seattle punched their ticket to the Super Bowl with a win over another NFC West opponent, this time the Los Angeles Rams, and the Seahawks were on their way to their first Super Bowl since the 2015 season.

On the biggest stage, against the New England Patriots, the same team he once admitted he was “seeing ghosts” against in 2019, Darnold came up big. He led the Seattle Seahawks to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title, and as he looked into the reflection of the Lombardi Trophy, he saw every setback, every doubt, and every ounce of belief that carried him there.

"I really think it’s about believing in yourself and taking it one day at a time," Darnold said. “I think, if there’s any lesson, it’s that. Continue to be yourself in any situation and always believe in yourself."

Through the journey from seeing ghosts in the Meadowlands with the Jets, from getting benched in Carolina to sitting in San Francisco, breaking out in Minnesota, and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with Seattle, Darnold kept one word: Believe.

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