The legend of Sam Darnold continues. After unfulfilling stints with four different NFL teams, the 28-year-old first-round selection is finally heading to a Super Bowl and reaching his potential. Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to a nail-biting 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday's NFC Championship Game. The franchise will head to Santa Clara for its fourth Super Bowl appearance where it'll face a familiar foe: The New England Patriots.
Darnold's redemption arc is nearly complete but even if he doesn't lift the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks time, he's certainly making his doubters eat their words. Many of those same doubters work in the front office of NFL teams that passed on his services this past offseason.
Minnesota Vikings
This is an obvious finger to point. Minnesota saw Darnold's resurgence begin at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2024 and decided his career-best numbers were a one-off situation that ended in a playoff collapse. So, instead of investing in his progress and rolling with him another season, the Vikings decided it was time for QB of the future J.J. McCarthy (who was essentially a second-year rookie) to take the reins.
One year later and the Vikings posted five fewer wins than 2024 and missed the postseason altogether after McCarthy was only able to log 10 games. Sure, Darnold was looking for a more permanent home than just holding down the fort until a younger QB took over, but Minnesota had the ability to offer a bridge deal and potentially trade him or McCarthy if Darnold took the Vikes to the Super Bowl.
New York Giants
Yes, the Giants drafted Jaxson Dart but they were always in the market for a veteran to start the year and hope for the best before the rookie's eventual debut. Reports prove Darnold was on general manager Joe Schoen's radar after New York missed out on Matthew Stafford. Yet, Schoen chose to ride with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the free agent market.
Wilson (six games played) and Winston (three games) were paid a combined $23.5 million by New York this year. Darnold only cost Seattle $14 million this season. He wouldn't have had as talented a roster to work with, but the Giants' scary defense could've used a guy like him producing more run support in what were close games.
Las Vegas Raiders
I don't think you have to say much else about how poorly Las Vegas handled this past offseason other than uttering the words "first overall pick." After hiring head coach Pete Carroll, the Raiders supposedly were planning on pitching a trade package to Minnesota for Darnold before he hit the market.
The fact that no deal materialized is not only a knock on Las Vegas, but also on Minnesota, who could've easily franchise-tagged Darnold and moved him for assets instead of getting nothing and watching him head to the Super Bowl. Now the Raiders are going to get Fernando Mendoza after the Geno Smith experiment failed miserably. Mendoza is no guarantee, but Darnold's improved play would've made them at least competitive in the AFC West for years to come.
Cleveland Browns
Do I really have to explain this one? Cleveland burned through three different passers this year, two of which were drafted in April. With Deshaun Watson burning a hole in the team's roster and siphoning off crucial cash, that makes four QBs the team really doesn't know what to do with.
Rather than wasting a trade on Kenny Pickett (who was flipped to Las Vegas anyways), Cleveland should've made a run at Darnold to be their full-time guy. Watson is surely on the way out, Joe Flacco was serviceable but still a waste, and drafting two rookies that don't appear like long-term solutions has the Browns in QB limbo.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh landed future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers but that one-year rental didn't pan out like Steelers fans had hoped. They made the playoffs but a Wild Card loss resulted in the likely end of Rodgers' career and the departure of long-time head coach Mike Tomlin. Now the franchise will have to undergo a retool at best and that could take years to complete.
Bringing in Darnold would've paired him with wideout DK Metcalf among other adequate weapons and the league's highest-paid defense. Darnold also only cost Seattle $350,000 more than Rodgers' price tag for the Steelers. With better run support from a Darnold-led offense, Pittsburgh could've had a much different outcome in the postseason and who knows, maybe Tomlin wouldn't have had to step down.