The excitement of Super Bowl season has a unique way of bringing family legacies back to life. As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for the big game, all sorts of interesting backstories are beginning to surface. The story of Sam Darnold’s grandfather gained fresh momentum after sports commentator Colleen Wolfe discussed his unique lineage.

“His grandfather, he comes from a long line of successful people in his family. His grandfather was the Marlboro man, and his name was Dick Hammer. I’m not making that up.” Wolfe said on the Good Sports podcast with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson. 

While Sam Darnold prepares for his first Super Bowl appearance on the league’s biggest stage, it turns out his family is no stranger to the spotlight. His grandfather, Dick Hammer, was once one of the most recognizable faces in the country as a primary model for the iconic Marlboro cigarette advertisements in the 1970’s. 

Beyond his modeling fame, Hammer was a powerhouse of talent. He was a captain in the Los Angeles County Fire Department and a versatile athlete who competed for the United States in volleyball at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Following in these formidable footsteps, Darnold has finally cemented his status as a star in his own right after weathering significant professional troubles. After being drafted by the New York Jets in 2018, his career appeared to be fading as he lost starting positions during short stints with the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers. 

These setbacks led many analysts to believe he would spend the remainder of his career as a career backup, but a major “renaissance” changed the trajectory of his life.

This comeback began with a stellar 14-3 season in 2024, a high level of play he has maintained with poise and consistency. Now, he stands on the verge of history as the first starting quarterback from the 2018 draft class with a chance to win a Super Bowl. 

As he leads the Seahawks into Super Bowl LX, the team is locked in on their upcoming championship battle against the New England Patriots, set to take place on February 8th.

Check out what Darnold has to say about his grandfather.

Sam Darnold’s grandfather, a man nicknamed “Hammer,” lived a life so incredible it sounds like a tall tale. Long before Sam became an NFL quarterback, Hammer was the man who had carved his name for the family. He was an athlete, a professional actor, a firefighter, but the most famous of them all was the face of one of the biggest advertising campaigns, which gave him teh name ‘Marlboro Men.”

In a recent interview, Darnold admitted that he only knows these stories through his mother, as his grandfather passed away when he was just a toddler. Despite never knowing him personally, Darnold says his family constantly compares their personalities, noting that they both tackle life with the same intense energy. 

“He passed away when I was two years old, so I didn’t really get to know him,” Darnold said. “But from what my mom tells me, we have very similar personalities. We attack everything that we do in a similar way.” He said.

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However, Sam is quick to joke that the similarities end at their physical appearance; while his grandfather was a famous model and actor, Sam laughs that he didn’t quite inherit those “leading man” looks.

While most football players grow up hearing stories about their relatives’ old high school games, Darnold’s background is filled with Olympic rings and Hollywood sets. As the Super Bowl approaches and the media looks for interesting angles, Hammer’s legendary life has stepped back into the spotlight.