Sam Darnold’s Super Bowl Start Adds Fuel to the Fire for Josh Allen and the Bills
The Buffalo Bills are watching Super Bowl LX from the couch again-and this one’s especially tough to stomach. Not only are the New England Patriots back on the sport’s biggest stage in the post-Tom Brady era, but they’re facing off against a Seattle Seahawks team led by none other than Sam Darnold-yes, that Sam Darnold.
For Bills fans, it’s a double gut punch. The Patriots making it back to the Super Bowl before Josh Allen and the Bills have even sniffed it is already painful enough.
But seeing Darnold, a quarterback from Allen’s own 2018 draft class-once written off as a cautionary tale-starting under center in the Super Bowl? That’s salt in the wound.
And Darnold knows it. When asked about reaching the Super Bowl before the likes of Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Baker Mayfield, the Seahawks quarterback didn’t hesitate to point out this isn’t technically his first trip to the big game.
“I actually made it in 2023 as well when I was in San Francisco,” Darnold said with a grin.
Sure, Darnold didn’t take a snap in that Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Chiefs with the 49ers. But this time, it’s different.
This time, he’s the guy. The starter.
And for a quarterback who, not long ago, seemed destined for the journeyman path, this is a full-circle moment.
It’s easy to forget how far Darnold’s come. Early in his career, he looked closer to Josh Rosen than Josh Allen in terms of trajectory.
But now, he’s leading a team to the Super Bowl before any of the top names from that 2018 quarterback class have done the same. That’s not just a personal redemption arc-it’s a statement.
“No, it’s unbelievable. Obviously, those are great players, but, you know, it’s more so the team. It’s the hard work that we’ve put in throughout this season,” Darnold added on Monday.
And he’s right. This Seahawks run isn’t just about Darnold’s resurgence-it’s about a team that’s gelled at the right time. But that doesn’t make it any easier for Buffalo.
The Bills had their shot. They beat New England the last time they faced off and looked like the more complete team heading into the postseason.
Patriots fans were nervous about a potential third meeting. But when Bo Nix went down in the AFC Championship and a snowstorm turned the fourth quarter into a defensive slog, it felt like the Patriots got a golden ticket to the Super Bowl-a ticket many in Buffalo believe should’ve been theirs.
Now, instead of prepping for their first Super Bowl appearance in the Allen era, the Bills are facing a critical offseason. The search is on for a new head coach after parting ways with Sean McDermott.
Ownership, GM Brandon Beane, and Allen himself are staring down what feels like a pivotal moment. They’ve got the talent.
They’ve had the chances. But the window won’t stay open forever.
And while Buffalo regroups, Bills Mafia finds itself in an awkward spot. On one hand, they’ll likely be rooting for Darnold and the Seahawks to stop the Patriots from claiming a record-setting seventh Lombardi Trophy.
On the other, watching Darnold-once a division rival, now a redemption story-hoist the trophy before Allen ever gets the chance? That’s going to sting.
Because for all the talk about Allen’s talent, his MVP-level performances, and the Bills’ loaded roster, the one thing missing from his résumé-and the franchise’s modern history-is a Super Bowl appearance.
And now, Sam Darnold has one.