Seahawks’ Super Bowl Win Adds Salt to the Vikings’ Wound-and the Bears Are Loving It
The NFL season wrapped in dramatic fashion, with the Seattle Seahawks cruising past the New England Patriots in a dominant 29-13 win in Super Bowl LX. While the Chicago Bears weren’t part of the big dance, they still had reason to smile-and not just because of what’s brewing in their own building. The Seahawks’ win offered Bears fans another chance to take a jab at their NFC North rivals, the Minnesota Vikings.
Why? Two key figures in Seattle’s championship run-quarterback Sam Darnold and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak-were both wearing purple not long ago. And their exits from Minnesota are now looking like major missteps.
The Darnold Decision That Haunts Minnesota
Let’s start with Darnold. The Vikings had him under center in 2024, and he delivered.
A 14-3 regular-season record, over 4,300 passing yards, and 35 touchdowns-that’s not just serviceable, that’s Pro Bowl-caliber production. But despite that success, the Vikings bowed out early in the playoffs, falling 27-9 to the Rams in the Wild Card round.
And then, they let him walk.
Minnesota opted to go all-in on youth, drafting J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick.
The move was bold, but it backfired. McCarthy struggled to find rhythm, completing just 57% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Injuries didn’t help either-he missed several games, and when he did play, he looked like a rookie still trying to adjust to the NFL’s speed and complexity.
Now, the Vikings head into the offseason with a glaring question mark at quarterback. Darnold, meanwhile, just hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Kubiak’s Climb to the Top
Then there’s Klint Kubiak. The Vikings know him well-he was on staff during the Mike Zimmer era before being let go after the 2021 season.
Since then, Kubiak bounced around, spending time with the Broncos, 49ers, and Saints before landing in Seattle. With the Seahawks, he helped orchestrate a balanced, efficient offense that powered their Super Bowl run.
Now, he’s headed to Las Vegas as the Raiders’ next head coach. That’s a meteoric rise-and another reminder for Vikings fans of what could’ve been.
To be fair, Minnesota still has Kevin O’Connell calling the shots, and he’s widely respected as an offensive mind. But losing a coordinator like Kubiak, who’s now proven he can help lead a team to a title, still stings.
Bears Building While Vikings Backtrack
Meanwhile in Chicago, there’s a quiet confidence building. Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson are just getting started, and the Bears seem to have finally found a foundation worth believing in. Watching the Vikings deal with quarterback uncertainty and the fallout of letting key contributors walk only adds to the optimism in the Windy City.
For Bears fans, this is more than just scoreboard watching-it’s about momentum. And right now, the arrow is pointing up in Chicago while Minnesota is left searching for answers.
The Vikings had a front-row seat to watch two of their former pieces reach the NFL’s mountaintop with another team. That’s a tough pill to swallow. But in the NFC North, where rivalries run deep and memories run long, moments like this don’t go unnoticed.
And you can bet Bears fans will be bringing it up all offseason.