Sam Darnold took center stage on Monday Night Football and, despite some rough patches, didn’t disappoint
Monday Night Football introduced itself to the world in 1970 by showcasing Joe Namath. Almost 50 years later, a new-look broadcast re-introduced itself with Sam Darnold. While he’s nowhere near Namath’s status as a New York G.O.A.T., Darnold showcased himself as potentially the next great Jets quarterback.’
Sam Darnold’s first career start as an NFL quarterback started off as a disaster — a pick-sick on his very first throw.
Many NFL quarterbacks, not just new ones, have trouble with keeping a short memory after making a mistake. Sam Darnold just kept throwing, and he worked his way through his problems like a player wise beyond his years.
The youngest quarterback to start in Jets history and the youngest to start in NFL history, going all the way back to 1950, many questioned if he was ready. Darnold showed us that youth and a short memory is exactly what the NFL and, more importantly, the Jets needed.
Darnold is the first Jets quarterback to throw for two touchdowns in his NFL debut, which is vindication for a coaching staff that took flak for believing in him as deeply as they did.
Coming out of high school he wasn’t even considered the best quarterback in California, but he was able to become the second best quarterback in the draft. Failure is a part of growth, and Darnold proved once again he has what it takes to silence his doubters and adjust on the fly. That’s a quality teams covet in their franchise superstars.
On a national stage, with the brightest spotlights on him, Darnold passed the eye test. He showed can make all the big throws: His first NFL touchdown was a 41-yard pass down the sideline to Quincy Enunwa. Darnold wasn’t perfect but he managed the offense better than most expected and delivered on the promise to give Jets fans the hope they desperately need.
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There’s still al lot of work that needs to be done before Darnold is up there with the likes of Namath, but this is a great start for a team who waited too long for a franchise quarterback.