From “Seeing Ghosts” to Super Bowl Starter: The Stunning Rise of Sam Darnold
If you told NFL fans back in 2019 that Sam Darnold would be starting in a Super Bowl seven years later, most would’ve laughed you off the timeline. But here we are. On February 8, Darnold will take the field as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 - and fittingly, his opponent will be the New England Patriots, the team that delivered the lowest moment of his career.
Let’s rewind for a moment. Week 7 of the 2019 season.
Monday Night Football. Darnold, then the 22-year-old face of the New York Jets, was mic’d up during a brutal 33-0 loss to the Patriots.
It was a nightmare performance: 11 completions on 32 attempts, 86 yards, no touchdowns, four picks, and a lost fumble. But what stuck with fans - and haunted Darnold’s reputation - were three words captured on the sideline: “I’m seeing ghosts.”
That clip went viral. And for a while, it seemed like that moment would define his NFL legacy.
Fast forward six years, and the narrative has flipped. Darnold is now the leader of a 14-3 Seahawks team that earned the NFC’s top seed and punched its ticket to the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance since 2015. His journey back to relevance hasn’t been linear - or easy.
After a rocky 2020 season in New York that ended with a 2-10 record as the Jets’ starter, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers. Two forgettable years later, he landed in San Francisco as a backup to Brock Purdy. Then came Minnesota - and the opportunity that changed everything.
Signed to a one-year deal before the 2024 season, Darnold was expected to compete with rookie J.J. McCarthy for the starting job.
But when McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury, Darnold stepped in - and stepped up. He delivered a career-best season, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Vikings went 14-3, and Darnold earned his first Pro Bowl selection while becoming a finalist for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Despite the breakout year, Minnesota let him test free agency. Seattle didn’t hesitate.
The Seahawks inked Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal - and he rewarded them with another 14-3 campaign. His numbers dipped slightly (4,048 yards, 25 TDs, 14 INTs), but his leadership and poise helped guide Seattle through a tough NFC playoff gauntlet, including wins over the 49ers and Rams.
Now, Darnold is one win away from completing one of the most improbable turnarounds in recent memory.
After his NFC Championship win over Los Angeles, Darnold was asked about that infamous “ghosts” comment. His response? Classic Darnold - self-aware and unshaken.
“Yeah, I almost forgot about that. So thanks,” he said with a grin. “There was a lot that I didn’t know back then, so I’m just going to continue to learn and grow in this great game."
That growth has been the story. Darnold has gone from overmatched and overwhelmed to composed and confident. But his job’s not done yet.
Standing in his way is a Patriots team led by MVP finalist Drake Maye and a defense that’s been lights-out this postseason. New England’s pass rush has made life miserable for quarterbacks, and Darnold’s 14 regular-season interceptions were the third-most in the league. He’s been clean in the playoffs so far - no picks through two games - but staying turnover-free will be critical if Seattle wants to hoist the Lombardi.
The Seahawks have the firepower to make it happen. Kenneth Walker brings balance to the offense as a dynamic runner, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp give Darnold two high-level targets who can stretch the field and win underneath. When Darnold protects the football, Seattle is a tough out - plain and simple.
No matter how Super Bowl 60 shakes out, Darnold’s story is already one of the NFL’s most compelling. From a career on the brink to back-to-back 14-win seasons and a shot at a championship, he’s rewritten his narrative in real time.
The ghosts of the past? They’re in the rearview. And Sam Darnold is driving straight toward football immortality.