The NFC Championship is always a high-stakes affair, but for Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday’s showdown with the Los Angeles Rams carries even more weight. It’s not just about a trip to the Super Bowl - it’s about rewriting narratives, cashing in on a remarkable comeback season, and potentially setting the stage for a long-term future in the Pacific Northwest.
Darnold, now 28, has already pocketed $2.5 million in incentives this season. But he’s got another big milestone in reach: a $500,000 bonus if the Seahawks knock off the Rams and punch their ticket to the big game. That’s the deal - win, and half a million gets added to the bank account.
Of course, the money is just one part of the story. This game is also a chance for Darnold to shake off some lingering questions about his performances against the Rams.
Historically, that matchup hasn’t always been kind to him. But this isn’t the same Sam Darnold we saw in New York or even early in his career.
This version, the one leading Seattle into the NFC title game, is playing with confidence, poise, and a supporting cast that believes in him.
Darnold’s first season in Seattle has been nothing short of a revelation. After years of inconsistency and questions about whether he could ever live up to his draft pedigree, he’s found his footing - and then some - with the Seahawks. A win over a tough Rams defense would not only send Seattle to the Super Bowl, it would also be another feather in the cap of what’s shaping up to be one of the more impressive career turnarounds in recent memory.
And let’s not overlook the bigger picture. Darnold is under contract for two more years at $63 million.
That’s a solid deal, but if he leads Seattle to a Super Bowl - or even just gets them there with a strong performance - the front office might be looking at him as more than just a stopgap. A win could open the door to a lucrative extension, one that locks him in as the Seahawks’ guy for the foreseeable future.
So yes, there’s a lot on the line Sunday night. A Super Bowl berth.
A shot at redemption. A hefty bonus.
And maybe, just maybe, a new chapter in Sam Darnold’s career - one where he’s no longer the quarterback trying to prove he belongs, but the one leading a franchise toward a championship window.