Packers Watch as Vikings’ Missteps Come Full Circle in Darnold’s Super Bowl Triumph
The Green Bay Packers didn’t need to play in Super Bowl LX to enjoy it. All they had to do was tune in and watch as Sam Darnold-yes, that Sam Darnold-led the Seattle Seahawks to a 29-13 win over the New England Patriots. For Packers fans, the win wasn’t just about seeing a division rival’s former quarterback hoist the Lombardi Trophy-it was a front-row seat to the unraveling of the Minnesota Vikings’ decision-making.
Let’s rewind.
Darnold spent just one season in Minnesota, guiding the Vikings to a 14-3 regular season record. That’s not a typo-14 wins, 3 losses.
But after a pair of rough outings to end the year and a quick playoff exit, the Vikings hit the panic button. Instead of sticking with the veteran who had just delivered one of the best regular seasons in franchise history, they cut ties.
No long-term plan, no safety net-just a clean break.
What followed was a quarterback carousel that felt more like a scramble than a strategy. J.J.
McCarthy was thrust into the spotlight with no NFL experience. Sam Howell came and went.
Carson Wentz was brought in as a stopgap. The Vikings’ front office, once praised for its analytics-driven approach, looked reactionary and disjointed.
The fallout was swift: general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was shown the door, with his failure to retain Darnold cited as a central reason.
The cracks in Minnesota’s foundation weren’t just about one quarterback decision. The 2022 draft class is another sore spot.
First-round pick Lewis Cine didn’t pan out, and the rest of the class offered little in terms of impact. For a team trying to build through the draft, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Then came the ultimate irony: Darnold, now in Seattle, was playing under the guidance of Klint Kubiak-his former offensive coordinator in Minnesota. The same pairing that the Vikings let walk just helped win a Super Bowl. That’s not just a missed opportunity; it’s a franchise-altering “what if.”
From Green Bay’s perspective, this is about as good as it gets. The NFC North is already a tight race, with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears making serious strides.
Watching Minnesota self-destruct only helps clear the path. And let’s be honest-there’s a certain satisfaction in seeing a rival’s missteps play out on the biggest stage.
The Vikings’ leadership structure doesn’t offer much clarity moving forward. Rob Brzezinski has taken over as general manager, largely due to his salary cap expertise.
That likely leaves head coach Kevin O’Connell with more influence over roster decisions-the same coach who moved on from Darnold and pinned the team’s hopes on McCarthy. Those decisions are aging poorly.
And if the rumors are true, things might get even more chaotic. There’s been talk of Minnesota targeting Derek Carr, who just spent a year in retirement.
Even Aaron Rodgers’ name has been floated-yes, the former Packer. It all paints the picture of a team still searching for its identity under center while the rest of the division has theirs locked in.
Meanwhile, Darnold just did something no Vikings quarterback has ever done: win a Super Bowl. That’s not just a stat-it’s a statement.
And for the Packers, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best move is no move at all. Let your rivals make the mistakes.
Let them chase ghosts. And while they do, stay the course.
Minnesota’s in a tough spot. Green Bay knows it. And after Super Bowl LX, the rest of the league does too.