As the Seattle Seahawks gear up for the NFC Championship showdown with the Los Angeles Rams, one thing is crystal clear: this team doesn’t get to this point without the bold changes made last offseason. From the front office to the locker room, those moves reshaped the identity of the franchise-and nowhere is that transformation more evident than under center.
Sam Darnold, once a question mark, has become a steadying force in Seattle. Yes, the turnovers have been there at times-ball security hasn’t been perfect-but Darnold’s impact goes beyond the stat sheet.
He’s delivered wins in high-pressure moments, games that likely would’ve slipped away last season. His calm, even-keeled demeanor has brought a sense of emotional balance to a team that, not long ago, felt like it was riding a rollercoaster every week.
Darnold’s not the guy who’s going to light up a press conference or deliver headline-making soundbites. But that’s not what the Seahawks need from him.
What they need is exactly what he’s delivered: stability, leadership, and poise in the pocket. And those qualities have resonated deeply throughout the roster.
Take it from defensive tackle Leonard Williams, who’s seen Darnold’s journey up close-from their college days at USC to their time with the Jets. After Seattle’s emphatic win over the 49ers in the Divisional Round, Williams didn’t need to name names when praising his quarterback. The message was loud and clear.
“He means a lot to this team,” Williams said. “I’ve been around him in college, I’ve been around him early in his career on the Jets, and I think as soon as I saw him in the building here, I saw a dedicated guy. He’s dedicated to his craft, dedicated to the work, dedicated to this organization, and he’s just a special leader on this team.”
That last line carries weight. “A special leader”-not something every quarterback earns, and certainly not something that gets tossed around lightly in a locker room full of veterans. It’s a reflection of the trust Darnold has built, and the way he’s galvanized this group.
Contrast that with the situation a year ago. Geno Smith, who once looked like the Seahawks’ long-term answer, saw his time in Seattle unravel.
Whether he officially asked for a trade or not, the writing was on the wall when he stopped engaging with the team on contract talks. Ultimately, Seattle moved on-and in hindsight, that decision may have saved their season.
Smith’s stint with the Raiders was rocky, to say the least. The emotional volatility that occasionally surfaced in Seattle became a storyline in Las Vegas.
And while Smith struggled to find footing, Darnold quietly went about proving that his 2024 resurgence in Minnesota wasn’t a one-off. He’s not trying to be the flashiest quarterback in the league-he’s just trying to win.
And this year, he’s done exactly that.
The Seahawks didn’t just get a quarterback who could execute the offense-they got a leader who fit the culture new head coach Mike Macdonald is building. A culture grounded in consistency, accountability, and resilience.
No matter what happens in the NFC Championship, Darnold’s season has already been a win for Seattle. He brought them within reach of a Super Bowl, something that didn’t seem remotely possible just a year ago. And if the Seahawks do make it to the big stage, it’ll be in large part because of the calm, steady hand guiding them at quarterback.
Seattle found the right guy at the right time. And now, they’re one win away from the ultimate stage.