He just doesn’t have what it takes. He will never be a franchise quarterback. He isn’t good enough to start.
Sam Darnold heard it all. But not this year. On the last Sunday of January, the quarterback led the Seattle Seahawks to an NFC Championship victory over the favored Los Angeles Rams in a thrilling game that entertained the football world.
Darnold accounted for 346 yards, threw for three touchdowns, and had no turnovers. Against all preseason expectations, Sam Darnold had taken Seattle to the Super Bowl. After nobody believed in him.
When the clock hit zero, the Seahawks poured onto the field. Darnold celebrated too, though with a quiet disbelief etched across his face - as if he was still processing what had just happened.
After years of doubt, his career had finally turned a corner. Or maybe it always was headed here. Maybe he belonged all along, needing only time, patience, and the right environment to grow into a Super Bowl–caliber quarterback. After seven years, he has seen the fruits of his resiliency.
Born and raised in California, Darnold grew up playing sports year-round. Besides football, he also starred in baseball and basketball. Sam excelled on the hardwood so much that he earned several basketball scholarships. But his heart belonged to the gridiron. Eventually, he emerged as a four-star recruit and gathered multiple offers from powerhouse programs. Staying true to his childhood dream and California roots, he chose to attend USC.
After redshirting as a freshman, he exploded onto the scene. He thrived in the Trojan uniform and exceeded every expectation. As a starter, Darnold led his team to a 9-1 record while throwing for 31 touchdowns and only 9 picks.
His sophomore year was even better: 4,143 passing yards on a 63.1 percent completion rate and an 11–3 team record. He played with poise beyond his years - manipulating safeties, making sharp reads, delivering the ball with precision. Calm. Confident. Clutch. The potential was undeniable.
Unsurprisingly, Darnold entered the 2018 NFL Draft as one of its most coveted prospects. The class was loaded - Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson were all part of it. Darnold was ranked above everyone.
He was expected to become the No. 1 pick, partially because Mayfield’s reputation was hindered by his behavioral issues. But the Cleveland Browns eventually decided to bet on Mayfield and selected him first. Darnold became the third overall pick owned by the New York Jets.
The Jets were struggling and desperately needed a franchise quarterback to build the rest of the team around. They believed they won the jackpot with Darnold. A few months later, the California native became the youngest opening-day starting quarterback at just 21 years, 97 days old in NFL history.
His first-ever attempted pass resulted in a pick-six, but Darnold recovered, finishing the game with 198 passing yards and a Jets victory.
As the season progressed, the struggles mounted. The criticism grew louder. But the issue wasn’t that Darnold lacked ability. He was a rhythm-based, structured quarterback who thrived within a defined system - something the Jets never provided. In three seasons, he cycled through three offensive coordinators. There was no continuity. No stability. Just chaos.
So, he got traded. In April 2021, he moved on with the Carolina Panthers. Darnold was hoping for a new chance and a fresh start. “There's a little bit of both - relief and excitement,” Darnold said about his career move. “There's been so much uncertainty this offseason, not knowing what your future was going to look like, that was hard. But now that I'm in Charlotte, I'm excited, and yeah, I guess I am kind of relieved to be here.”
Unfortunately, his situation didn’t get much better in Carolina. The coaching staff couldn’t unlock his full skill set either. Talent wasted in translation. His two seasons with the Panthers were marked by injuries, loss of confidence, and frustration. By the end of the 2022 season, he became a free agent searching for hope and answers once again.
Signing a one-year deal with the 49ers, Darnold backed up Brock Purdy and, for the first time in his professional career, immersed himself in a system that made sense. He learned patience, timing, and how to weaponize his strengths. “I learned a ton. Just to be able to spend time in that system, and time around Brock, it was just a really good learning experience for me,” Darnold said. His growth was imminent.
It caught the eyes of the Minnesota Vikings. They signed a new version of Darnold. And it showed. He was on fire; he guided the Vikings to 14 wins and a playoff berth while securing career-highs in touchdowns, passing yards, and quarterback rating. He was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl.
But with the postseason coming up, the Vikings started crumbling. Under constant pressure, Darnold couldn’t replicate his previous performances, and Minnesota lost in the Wild Card Round to the Rams. The Vikings decided to move on and stick to JJ McCarthy.
Enter team number five. The Seattle Seahawks had been watching closely. In Minnesota, Darnold wasn’t playing to silence critics - he was playing free. He had good coaches, teammates, and a structured environment. He finally looked like the quarterback scouts once dreamed about. The Seahawks noticed it. They wanted his craft and signed him to a three-year, 100-million-dollar deal.
Many called it a gamble. Seattle called it a plan. The team knew exactly what they were doing. And it paid off. Once upon a time, Darnold was an overrated draft fluke.
But delayed doesn’t mean denied. Sam led his squad to a 14-3 record, overall No. 1 seed, and a trip to the Super Bowl. He tallied 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He was steady, composed, and consistent. The same player once written off as a draft bust was now one win away from the Lombardi Trophy.
“You can’t talk about the game without talking about our quarterback,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “He just shut a lot of people up tonight, so I’m really happy for him.”
Darnold is happy in Seattle. “I feel that support,” Darnold said. "Not with only their words, but with how everyone treats each other in the building. There's a lot of respect that goes around the building. Everyone respects the work that we all put into this great game, and so I'm just happy to be part of this team, man.”
Raised in an athletic family, toughness and resilience weren’t taught - they were inherited. Quitting was never an option. His road to greatness was longer than expected, but the destination never changed.
“I wouldn't change those experiences and that journey for anything,” Darnold said. “I learned so much about myself. I learned a lot about my process and what it takes to be a really good player in this league and what it takes to be that consistent quarterback that your team can count on, not only on the field, but also off the field, day to day, and the attitude that you bring.”
He endured the lowest lows early in his career, but he has overcome them all. Now, Sam Darnold has a chance to live through the highest highs.