On Sunday night in Santa Clara, California, Sam Darnold walked off the field as a Super Bowl champion. Although it was not his sharpest performance of the season, he delivered when it mattered most and led his team past the New England Patriots, 29-13, in Super Bowl LX. More importantly, the moment pushed Darnold to finally open up about the personal struggles that shaped his long road to the top.

In the post-game, Darnold spoke honestly about how a key stop earlier in his career helped change everything.

“It’s funny how it works,” he said. “I didn’t play great football the first few years of my career, and then I came here to San Francisco, and I learned a ton. And I think because of that year in San Francisco, I was able to learn a ton. Learn from Brock (Purdy) and coach Shanahan.”

Back then, on the sideline of Levi’s Stadium, Darnold waited patiently behind Brock Purdy and absorbed every detail he could from the coaching staff. Meanwhile, he accepted the role, stayed quiet, and kept working. Now that patience has paid off, as he became a Super Bowl winner in his first season leading the Seattle Seahawks, in the same Levi’s Stadium.

One of the toughest moments of Sam Darnold’s career came back in 2019 during his time with the New York Jets. In Week 7 against the New England Patriots, he struggled badly early, fumbling the ball and throwing a soft, goal-line interception that summed up a brutal night. Soon after, cameras caught Darnold on the bench with a stunned expression, and his words quickly became infamous.

“I’m seeing ghosts,” he said, a line that followed him for years.

From that point on, Gang Green faced constant questions, while the Patriots defense earned even more praise for breaking young quarterbacks.

Years later, back in 2022, Darnold revealed how tough that moment was.

“That was the worst game by far that I’ve ever played in my life. I own up to it,” Darnold said on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast.

Now, beating the same Pats on the biggest stage completed a full-circle moment for him. In the victory, Darnold finished 19 of 38 for 202 yards with a touchdown. While the stat line was modest, the result was not.

When asked where the confidence came from after being traded so often, Darnold did not hesitate.

“It’s easy. My teammates and my coaches.” He added, “They believed in me ever since the beginning of training camp. That was our mindset every single day we came to work.”

Those words also justify recent comments from head coach Mike Macdonald, as Darnold proved belief can rewrite any narrative.

Head coach Mike Macdonald praised Sam Darnold

This season, Sam Darnold became a household name for the Seahawks, and head coach Mike Macdonald made sure to give his quarterback credit for the steady run.

“All he does is just play great football,” Macdonald said while speaking to the media. “He’s a great teammate every day. Same guy every day. By the way, he’s a great football player, and the team loves him, you know, and he’s earned it. He’s earned it every day. And I can’t be more happy for someone than Sam Darnold being a world champion. He’s absolutely earned this.”

However, the road to this moment was anything but smooth for Darnold. He entered the league with massive expectations after the New York Jets selected him third overall in the 2018 draft out of USC. Unfortunately, things never settled early, as he posted a 13-25 record and a 78.6 passer rating over his first three seasons, ranking near the bottom among regular starters during that stretch.

After that, the Jets traded him to the Carolina Panthers; however, that stint was very frustrating. However, things started to change when he arrived in San Francisco, where he backed up Brock Purdy, started one game in 2023, and appeared in 10 total, completing 28 of 46 passes with two touchdowns.

Finally, everything clicked when he arrived in the Emerald City this year. He finished the regular season with a 99.1 passer rating, 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Then, when it mattered most, he was steady, posting a 102.4 rating with 672 yards and five touchdowns in three playoff games, fully justifying Macdonald’s praise.