Sam Darnold was once seeing ghosts, now he's seeing the Lombardi Trophy in his sights
By Andy Davies
Super Bowl LX is fast approaching.
In less than a week, we will know who will be crowned World Champions.
The New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks at Levis Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, as they both aim to end their respective Super Bowl droughts.
A home win against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship has the Seahawks down as favourites for the game. However, after a win on the road to the Denver Broncos, the Patriots will relish their underdog tag.
After all, they took on the Greatest Show on Turf in the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI and won against the odds. This kickstarted the first Patriots dynasty and the beginning of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s dominance over the rest of the league. There is hope amongst the New England fanbase that another similar win against the odds can ignite a fire into the true rebirth of the joint most successful side in the history of the league.
Meanwhile, there is a sense of purpose for this Seattle side.
They will be keen to capitalise on their current Super Bowl window, with nothing guaranteed in the league. There is also the small matter of revenge for the Super Bowl XLIX, one of the most famous moments on NFL history.
At the one-yard line, the Seahawks famously decided to throw the ball rather than hand it off to running back Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson’s throw to Ricardo Lockette caught by Patriots rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler.
This has been attributed as the reason for the fall out of what was so close to being an NFL dynasty. They now have the chance to avenge those demons with a quarterback under centre who has had an equally up and down past eight years.
Struggles in New York and Carolina
The New York Jets traded up to pick Sam Darnold third overall in 2018.
Prior to the draft, the Jets gave the Indianapolis Colts their sixth overall pick, as well as three second round picks (two in 2018, one in 2019.
However, during his three years in New Jersey, Darnold had 45 touchdowns to 39 interceptions. His highest yardage total was 3,024.
A pick six in his first NFL career pass was an omen, a sign of things to come in the first five years of his career.
During his sophomore 2019 season, the Jets took on the New England Patriots and lost 33-0.
He was Mic’d Up on the ESPN Monday Night and was caught saying he was “seeing ghosts”.
This is a moment that has followed his career ever since.
Fast forward to the 2021 NFL Draft and the Jets had the second overall pick and a new head coach in Robert Saleh after the dismissal of Adam Gase.
The Jets took Zach Wilson with that draft pick and earlier in the month, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers.
Despite a good start to life with the Panthers, his performances quickly worsened and in his two seasons with the franchise, he had an equal total of touchdowns and interceptions (16).
In Free Agency, a move to the San Francisco 49ers unfolded for Darnold, signing a one-year deal at the organisation.
He beat Trey Lance to the backup spot but was never able to displace Brock Purdy.
Darnold’s only start came in Week 18 when the Niners already secured a playoff spot, where they would make an appearance in Super Bowl LVIII.
His next step was a move to Minnesota, but he was seen as a ‘bridge quarterback’. This was predicted by many to be the story of the remainder of his career.
This has been anything but the case.
A year as a backup transends career, regret in Minnesota?
Despite signing Darnold in Free Agency, the Minnesota Vikings decided to draft McCarthy 10th overall.
The plan was evident from head coach Kevin O’Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Start Darnold, let McCarthy sit behind him.
During a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, McCarthy tore the meniscus in his right knee and his season was over.
Darnold guided the Vikings to a 14-3 season, becoming the first team to record this win total and not win their division.
Their Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions and Wildcard Round defeat against the Los Angeles Rams saw Darnold struggle and people were out on him as a future franchise quarterback.
The Vikings moved on from Darnold and showed faith in McCarthy.
Making the decision to not keep Darnold and have him as the bridge quarterback like they planned a year prior, may be a decision that this Vikings organisation may rue to regret.
McCarthy struggled immensely in his first year as a starter, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and injuries once again hampering his development.
The Vikings finished with a 9-8 record, missing out on the playoffs altogether, whereas Darnold has guided the Seahawks to a 14-3 record and the number one seed as well as an appearance in Super Bowl LX. Adofo-Mensah lost his job as General Manager at the end of the season, and many are pointing to the decision to not keep Darnold in the building as a reason for the dismissal.
Just like Darnold had in Minnesota with Justin Jefferson, he had the help of Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle. Whilst Darnold was not leading the league in passing stats, he was exactly what the team needed under head coach Mike McDonald’s system.
Darnold missed out on a ring after the Niners lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime. He now has the chance to start in a Super Bowl and go one further than Kyle Shanahan’s team did in Las Vegas.
Darnold was seen as a bust with the Jets, but as history has shown since and in the many years before his arrival, no quarterback is set up to succeed at the franchise.
His time in Seattle has been an example that all quarterbacks should live by. Darnold has not let early career struggles get him down. His past two seasons have been an example of talent being important but situations being viral.
A year as the Niners backup allowed him time to breathe and learn under Shanahan whilst playing for a well-run organisation. A year under O’Connell, someone who has excelled nine times out of ten with quarterbacks during his head coaching career, along with a stacked Seahawks roster has been the best thing for his career.
Darnold once admitted to “seeing ghosts”. He is now seeing the Lombardi Trophy in his sights as Seattle aim for their first Super Bowl since the 2013 season and their second in franchise history.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY HAS BEEN TO EVERY NFL STADIUM AND IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD PODCAST. HE HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS SUCH AS SUPER BOWL LIX, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF AARON RODGERS, JUSTIN JEFFERSON, JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, PATRICK MAHOMES, TRAVIS KELCE, DERRICK HENRY, SAQUON BARKLEY AND JALEN HURTS