Sam Darnold’s Resurgence: From NFL Afterthought to Seattle’s $100 Million Man
Sam Darnold’s NFL journey hasn’t exactly followed the script many envisioned when he was drafted out of USC. His first career pass?
A pick-six. His early years?
A carousel of coaches, systems, and struggles across three teams. But after six seasons of bouncing around the league, Darnold has found something that had long eluded him: stability-and maybe even redemption.
His unexpected rise began in Minnesota, where he arrived as a presumed backup. The Vikings had just drafted J.J.
McCarthy to be their quarterback of the future, but a torn meniscus in McCarthy’s first preseason game forced the team to pivot-and fast. That pivot led straight to Darnold, who suddenly found himself back in a starting role.
And this time, the circumstances were different.
Darnold had never had a weapon like Justin Jefferson before. He’d never played under a head coach like Kevin O’Connell, who knew how to scheme around a quarterback’s strengths.
And for the first time in his career, Darnold looked comfortable. Confident.
Capable. He delivered an impressive regular season, showing flashes of the talent that once made him a top-three draft pick.
But the playoff stage was less kind. A rough postseason outing clouded the momentum he had built, and Minnesota-still committed to its long-term vision-handed the reins to McCarthy once he was healthy. That opened the door for Darnold to test the market again.
The Seahawks’ Big Bet
Enter Seattle. With Geno Smith on the move to Las Vegas, the Seahawks needed a new quarterback-and fast.
Darnold, fresh off the best season of his career, was one of the most intriguing options available in free agency. In March 2025, Seattle made its move, inking Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract.
That deal made him the 18th-highest-paid quarterback in the league at the time.
It was a bold swing for a player with just one strong season under his belt, but the Seahawks saw more than just a stat line. They saw fit.
They saw familiarity. And they saw upside.
One key factor? Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
He and Darnold had worked together back in 2023 during their time with the 49ers. That shared history gave Seattle confidence that Kubiak could get the most out of Darnold-and that Darnold could hit the ground running in a new system that wasn’t entirely new to him.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Fast forward one season, and the Seahawks are sitting atop the NFC. The gamble on Darnold has paid off-at least so far.
He’s been efficient, composed, and, most importantly, consistent. The team around him has plenty of talent, and Darnold has done what good quarterbacks do: elevate the roster without trying to do too much.
Meanwhile, Minnesota missed the playoffs and came away with more questions than answers about McCarthy. It’s not hard to imagine some second-guessing going on behind the scenes in the Twin Cities.
A Free Agency Rollercoaster
Darnold’s 2025 free agency wasn’t without its skeptics. While his resurgence in Minnesota turned heads, his playoff flameout gave teams pause. Was he a one-season wonder, or had he finally turned the corner?
Seattle chose to believe in the former. They saw a quarterback who had matured, who had learned from the chaos of his early years, and who was ready to lead a talented team deep into January-and maybe even February.
Critics questioned the size of the contract, pointing to Darnold’s uneven resume. But the Seahawks weren’t just paying for past performance. They were investing in what Darnold could become in the right environment, with the right coaching, and the right pieces around him.
Looking Ahead
Now, one year into that three-year deal, the Seahawks look like one of the league’s most complete teams-and Darnold is a big reason why. He’s not just managing games; he’s making plays, taking care of the football, and proving he belongs in the conversation among the league’s top-tier quarterbacks.
There’s still more to prove, of course. A deep playoff run would go a long way toward silencing the doubters for good.
But for now, Sam Darnold is no longer a cautionary tale. He’s a comeback story-and one of the most compelling in the NFL.