Super Bowl LX champion who completed one of the most improbable career resurrections in modern NFL history.
Sam Darnold was a backup four years ago. In February 2026 he won Super Bowl LX, going 19-of-38 for 202 yards and a touchdown to AJ Barner in a 29-13 win over New England. The Seahawks' defense did the heavy lifting, but Darnold became the first quarterback from the 2018 NFL Draft class to win a Super Bowl as a starter.
Path to the league
USC quarterback taken third overall by the Jets in 2018. Three losing seasons in New York ended in a trade to Carolina, where he started briefly before losing the job. Spent 2023 as Brock Purdy's backup in San Francisco. Took the Minnesota Vikings job in 2024 on a one-year deal, made the Pro Bowl, and finally cashed in.
Career highlights
Super Bowl LX champion. Two-time Pro Bowler (2024, 2025). NFC's No. 1 seed in 2025. Signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Seattle on March 13, 2025. First 2018 draft class QB to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Mayfield, Allen, Rosen, Jackson, Lauletta and Rudolph.
2025 season recap
Threw for 4,100 yards, 32 TDs and 11 INTs as Seattle went 14-3 and won the NFC West. Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed gave Darnold the deep options he never had in New York. The defense held opponents to under 19 points per game across the playoffs. Darnold's narrative shifted from bust to champion in the span of 18 months.
What to watch in 2026
Seattle opened at +950 to win Super Bowl LXI, tied for shortest odds in the league. Darnold opens the season Wednesday, September 9 against the Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch in Melbourne. The Seahawks' six primetime games include a Christmas Day showcase at Lumen Field. Repeat targets are everything now.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Sam Darnold
- NFL.com: Darnold silences skeptics in SB LX
- Seahawks: Darnold SB LX coverage
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Passing
17 games played▶Passing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | RTG | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | seahawks | 2 | 32 | 47 | 392 | 4 | 2 | 104.2 | 43.9 |
| 2025 | seahawks | 17 | 323 | 477 | 4,048 | 25 | 14 | 99.1 | 55.6 |
| 2024 | vikings | 17 | 361 | 545 | 4,319 | 35 | 12 | 102.5 | 57.3 |
| 2023 | 49ers | 10 | 28 | 46 | 297 | 2 | 1 | 85.1 | 50.1 |
| 2022 | panthers | 6 | 82 | 140 | 1,143 | 7 | 3 | 92.6 | 51.4 |
| 2021 | panthers | 12 | 243 | 406 | 2,527 | 9 | 13 | 71.9 | 38.8 |
| 2020 | jets | 12 | 217 | 364 | 2,208 | 9 | 11 | 72.7 | 32.9 |
| 2019 | jets | 13 | 273 | 441 | 3,024 | 19 | 13 | 84.3 | 45.6 |
| 2018 | jets | 13 | 239 | 414 | 2,865 | 17 | 15 | 77.6 | 45.9 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | seahawks | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2025 | seahawks | 17 | 35 | 95 | 2.7 | 0 | 24 |
| 2024 | vikings | 17 | 67 | 212 | 3.2 | 1 | 19 |
| 2023 | 49ers | 10 | 21 | 15 | 0.7 | 1 | 9 |
| 2022 | panthers | 6 | 26 | 106 | 4.1 | 2 | 26 |
| 2021 | panthers | 12 | 48 | 222 | 4.6 | 5 | 30 |
| 2020 | jets | 12 | 37 | 217 | 5.9 | 2 | 46 |
| 2019 | jets | 13 | 33 | 62 | 1.9 | 2 | 24 |
| 2018 | jets | 13 | 44 | 138 | 3.1 | 1 | 28 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Quarterback
- Group
- offense
- College
- USC
- Hometown
- Capistrano Beach, CA, USA
- Age
- 29
- Status
- active
Latest news about Sam Darnold
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Seahawks Rout Cardinals 31-7 in Week 2
Seattle Seahawks 31, Arizona Cardinals 7 at State Farm Stadium. Drew Lock went 19 of 26 for 235 yards with 3 touchdowns.
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Sam Darnold Returns With 379 Yards, but Pick-Six Ends Seahawks' 12-Game Winning Streak
Update: Darnold returned in Week 3 and threw for a career-high 379 yards and four touchdowns, but his fourth-quarter pick-six decided a 33-31 loss at Washington that ended Seattle's 12-game winning streak.
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Two weeks into the Raiders' first OTAs with their No. 1 overall pick, the coaching staff is already endorsing the work.
Team
