Sam Darnold’s NFL journey has been anything but conventional. From being a top-three draft pick to bouncing between teams and battling the dreaded “bust” label, Darnold has taken the long road to relevance.
But over the last two seasons, he’s rewritten his narrative - not just surviving in the league, but thriving. With 28 wins across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Darnold has quietly joined elite company, trailing only Tom Brady for the most wins in a two-year span.
That’s not a fluke - that’s production.
Still, regular season success is only part of the story. For quarterbacks, legacies are built in January and February. And for all of Darnold’s resurgence, the playoff stage has been a tougher mountain to climb.
Let’s break down where Darnold stands in his postseason career - what’s happened so far, and what it tells us about where he might be headed.
Darnold’s Playoff Debut: A Rough First Step
Playoff Record: 0-1
2024 Wild Card Round: Vikings vs. Rams - Loss
Darnold’s lone playoff appearance came in the 2024 season, when he led the Minnesota Vikings to an impressive 14-win campaign. It was a breakout year for him - a season that saw Darnold shake off the ghosts of his Jets and Panthers days and establish himself as a legitimate starting quarterback.
But despite the strong regular season, the Vikings only managed a wild-card berth, and their postseason run was over almost as soon as it began. The playoff opener, relocated to Arizona due to wildfires in Los Angeles, was a nightmare from start to finish. The Rams’ defensive line overwhelmed Minnesota, sacking Darnold nine times and forcing two turnovers - including a back-breaking defensive touchdown.
It was the kind of game that makes playoff football so unforgiving. One bad matchup, one bad afternoon, and a season’s worth of progress can vanish in 60 minutes.
Darnold’s Playoff Stats (Through 2025)
- Games Played: 1
- Record: 0-1
- Pass Attempts: 40
- Completions: 25
- Completion Percentage: 62.5%
- Passing Yards: 245
- Touchdowns: 1
- Interceptions: 1
- Fumbles: 1
- Passer Rating: 77.6
- Sacks Taken: 9
- Rushing Attempts: 4
- Rushing Yards: 19
- Rushing Touchdowns: 0
On paper, Darnold’s numbers don’t look disastrous - a 62.5% completion rate and 245 yards passing is respectable. But the story of that game was pressure. Nine sacks is a brutal number, and when you add in two turnovers - one of which turned into points the other way - it’s clear Darnold never had a chance to get comfortable.
It’s worth noting that while Darnold was part of the 49ers’ Super Bowl roster in 2023, he didn’t see any playoff action, serving as Brock Purdy’s backup during the team’s postseason run.
What’s Next for Darnold?
The good news? Darnold has proven he can win games in the NFL - lots of them.
He’s shown poise, leadership, and the ability to bounce back from adversity. That’s no small feat, especially for a quarterback who was once written off by two franchises.
But now comes the next challenge: translating that regular season success into playoff wins. The postseason is a different beast.
Defenses are faster, game plans are tighter, and mistakes are magnified. For Darnold, the goal isn’t just to get back to the playoffs - it’s to make noise once he’s there.
He’s already rewritten his story once. If he can deliver in January, he’ll have the chance to write an entirely new chapter - one where he’s not just a comeback story, but a quarterback you can win with when it matters most.