Sam Darnold’s Redemption Tour Rolls On in Seattle - And the League Is Taking Notice
When the Seattle Seahawks signed Sam Darnold this offseason, it barely made a ripple outside the Pacific Northwest. But behind the scenes, there was a quiet endorsement that spoke volumes.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell - who coached Darnold during a standout 2024 campaign - picked up the phone and called Seahawks GM John Schneider. His message?
Simple: *“He’s one of the best leaders you’ll ever be around.” *
Fast forward to Week 13, and that leadership is showing up in a big way.
Coming off a dominant 26-0 shutout against a playoff-caliber opponent, Seattle now sits at 9-3, tied atop the NFC with the Bears and Rams. And Darnold, once written off as another first-round flameout, is at the center of it all.
The Long Road Back to Relevance
Let’s rewind. Darnold entered the league in 2018 as the third overall pick, pegged as the New York Jets’ next franchise quarterback.
But the fit was rocky from the start. He was young, the roster was flawed, and the expectations were sky-high.
It didn’t take long for things to unravel.
By the end of his third season, Darnold was out in New York and bouncing around the league - a cautionary tale of what happens when talent meets dysfunction. But those pit stops turned out to be more than just holding patterns. Along the way, he soaked up knowledge from some of the game’s sharpest offensive minds - Kyle Shanahan, Kevin O’Connell, Klint Kubiak - and shared QB rooms with seasoned pros like Teddy Bridgewater, Baker Mayfield, and Brock Purdy.
That experience shaped him. The raw arm talent never left, but now it’s paired with poise, maturity, and a deeper understanding of the game.
And in Seattle, it’s all come together.
Built for the Moment
This version of Darnold isn’t just managing games - he’s elevating a team that’s built to win now. The Seahawks have one of the league’s most complete rosters: a top-tier defense that’s smothering opponents, a special teams unit that flips field position, and a balanced offense with just enough firepower to strike quickly.
Darnold fits right in. He’s 23-6 over the last two seasons - a stat that says plenty about his growth.
He’s not forcing plays. He’s not trying to be the hero.
He’s simply playing smart, efficient football and letting the talent around him shine.
Case in point: his connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. When JSN entered the league, he was seen more as a precise route-runner than a deep threat.
But this year, with Darnold under center, he’s become one of the most dangerous downfield weapons in the league. That chemistry didn’t happen by accident.
Before the season, Smith-Njigba talked about Darnold’s unique leadership style - calm, steady, but with just enough “juice” to spark belief in the huddle. Now, 12 games in, those traits are echoing across the locker room.
Numbers That Matter
Not every game is going to be a stat-sheet stuffer. Take last Sunday against Minnesota.
Darnold took four sacks and didn’t put up flashy numbers. But he didn’t turn the ball over - a key point, especially considering recent struggles in that area.
He understood the assignment: with the Seahawks’ defense dominating, there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
That’s growth. That’s maturity. And that’s how you win games in December.
Look at how he’s responded after each of Seattle’s three losses this year. In the games that followed - two of them on the road, in tough environments like Pittsburgh and Jacksonville - Darnold posted a combined QB rating of 109.9. That’s not just a bounce-back; that’s a quarterback with short memory and a long view.
For the season, he’s sitting at a 103.1 rating, good for seventh in the league. Quietly, efficiently, he’s putting together one of the best stretches of his career.
The Playoffs Loom
Of course, the real test is coming. Darnold has already rewritten the narrative that he can’t succeed in the NFL. But there’s one chapter left to tackle - the postseason.
Last year, he struggled in two critical late-season games, including his lone playoff appearance. Until he flips that script, the doubters will linger. But if this season has shown us anything, it’s that Darnold doesn’t run from challenges - he leans into them.
Kevin O’Connell saw it. JSN sees it. And now, the rest of the NFC is starting to see it too.
Sam Darnold isn’t just surviving in Seattle. He’s leading. And with the Seahawks charging toward January, that leadership might be the difference between a good season - and something special.