Thursday Night Thriller: Sam Darnold’s Comeback Win Highlights What the Steelers Passed On
Thursday Night Football gave us a heavyweight showdown between two of the NFL’s top contenders-and it didn’t disappoint. The Los Angeles Rams had control for most of the night, riding a strong performance from Matthew Stafford to a 30-14 lead in the fourth quarter. But then Sam Darnold happened.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback engineered a stunning rally, leading his team to a 38-37 overtime win that not only shook up the NFC playoff picture but also reignited the conversation around one of the offseason’s most debated quarterback decisions-especially in Pittsburgh.
Let’s rewind for a moment. Coming off a career-best year with the Minnesota Vikings-where he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns-Darnold entered free agency as one of the more intriguing options on the market.
Seattle saw the potential and locked him up with a three-year, $100.5 million deal. At the time, it raised eyebrows.
Now? It’s looking like one of the best investments of the year.
Darnold’s performance on Thursday night was more than just a comeback-it was a statement. He capped the rally with a game-tying touchdown drive in overtime, followed by a gutsy two-point conversion to seal the win. That’s the kind of poise and playmaking teams dream of in a franchise quarterback.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, there’s a different story unfolding.
The Steelers opted to go with veteran Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, bringing in the 42-year-old as a short-term answer under center. And to be fair, Rodgers has delivered solid play in recent weeks.
He’s kept Pittsburgh in the playoff hunt and brought veteran leadership to a young roster. But the long-term questions remain.
Rodgers is a short-term solution. At best, you’re getting another season or two.
Darnold, on the other hand, is just 28 and playing the best football of his career. He’s not just a bridge-he’s building something real in Seattle.
Through 15 games, the Seahawks have scored 30 or more points in eight of them, and they’re sitting at 12-3 in a crowded NFC. Yes, the coaching has been sharp and the supporting cast strong, but Darnold has been the engine. He’s elevated the offense, made clutch throws, and shown the kind of consistency that’s eluded him earlier in his career.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Darnold has thrown 59 touchdown passes-just three shy of the best two-year total Ben Roethlisberger ever posted in Pittsburgh. That’s not just a stat to glance over. That’s elite production, and it’s coming from a quarterback who’s played for four different teams since 2022 and still managed to rack up a 30-9 record as a starter during that stretch.
Sure, Darnold still has a tendency to turn the ball over. That’s part of the package. But what he’s done this season-leading one of the league’s most explosive offenses, delivering in high-pressure moments, and putting himself firmly in the MVP conversation-shows that he’s more than made up for it.
And that’s the part that stings for Steelers fans.
Pittsburgh has been searching for a long-term answer at quarterback since Roethlisberger retired. Darnold could have been that guy. Instead, he’s thriving in Seattle, guiding a potential No. 1 seed and rewriting the narrative around his career.
Rodgers has done enough to keep the Steelers competitive, and for now, that’s something to be grateful for. But Thursday night was a reminder of what might have been-a 28-year-old quarterback in his prime, leading a contender, making big throws in big moments. That’s the kind of player Pittsburgh could have built around.
Instead, they’ll be watching from afar as Darnold continues to prove he’s not just a journeyman anymore. He’s a franchise quarterback-and one that got away.