Before Super Bowl Champion Sam Darnold wrote his NFL comeback story with the Seattle Seahawks, the quarterback had to process a tough rejection. In 2024, Darnold had a breakout season with the Minnesota Vikings as he led the team to a 14-3 record. But instead of committing to him for the long term, the Vikings let Darnold walk away in free agency and turned to their young QB, J.J. McCarthy. While that decision still feels puzzling to many, Darnold recently made it clear that he understands the logic behind it.

“That being the end of my 7th season, I felt like I definitely haven’t seen it all,” Sam Darnold said on the latest episode of The Herd. “But I’ve seen a lot in the NFL, and I understand kind of the process, and I don’t understand necessarily what it takes to run an entire organization and run a team, but I understand how difficult it can be. You have a lot of decisions that you have to make as a GM, as a head coach.”

“So, for me personally, I obviously believe in myself, and I understand my abilities,” Darnold went on to say. “But at the same time, I understand their thought process of going with the younger kid, especially J.J.”

Rather than expressing frustration now, Sam Darnold acknowledged the business side of the rejection that he faced from the Vikings. After hitting free agency last year, Darnold commanded a three-year, $100.5 million deal. It was a steep investment the Vikings weren’t prepared to make, as they were preparing to spend in free agency with roster needs beyond the quarterback position.

Darnold’s 2024 performance, which included a career-high 35 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions, made the Vikings’ decision to move on all the more puzzling to outsiders. For most of the season, he looked like the answer at quarterback for the Vikings, but his struggles in the final two games raised questions heading into the postseason.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

In the Week 18 game against the Detroit Lions and in the Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Rams, Darnold struggled. In that playoff game, arguably the biggest of his career at the time, Darnold faced heavy pressure throughout the game, taking multiple sacks. The Vikings offense never found a rhythm, and their season ended abruptly with a 27-9 loss to the Rams. 

So, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was the Vikings general manager at the time, had to choose between paying premium money to a quarterback coming off two disappointing performances or investing in strengthening the team’s roster. 

The Vikings’ decision was rooted in their long-term plan for J.J. McCarthy, their first-round pick from 2024. Although McCarthy’s development was stalled by a rookie-year ACL injury and a difficult 2025 season, in which he threw for just 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a 72.6 passer rating. However, the organization remained committed to him as their future franchise QB. Interestingly, Darnold himself endorsed the move, expressing his own belief in the young quarterback’s potential.

“I think J.J.‘s very talented, he’s super smart, and there’s a lot of potential there, and I think J.J. is gonna be a really, really good player in this league,” Sam Darnold added. “And that allowed them to kind of not sign me to maybe a bigger deal and bring some veteran guys in. I think when I sat back and really digested the information that they didn’t want me back, that was a little bit of a tough pill to swallow. But when I really stood back and looked at it from afar, I really understood the decision, and I really did. I’m thankful that I landed in Seattle.”

As Darnold pointed out, Minnesota’s decision ultimately redirected him to something better. While the rejection from the Vikings was indeed rough, he has clearly moved past it while playing in Seattle. But Darnold also just made it clear that his current success story in Seattle wouldn’t have been possible without the lows early in his career with the New York Jets.

How the New York Jets’ struggles forged a champion

Sam Darnold entered the league with high expectations after the Jets selected him third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. But Darnold’s tenure in New York never fully took off, as across three seasons with the Jets, he compiled a 13-25 record while throwing for 8,097 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 39 interceptions. Injuries didn’t help, and eventually, the Jets moved on from Darnold. Unlike many players who might try to forget such a rocky start, Darnold now views those early failures as a critical part of his journey.

“I’d be lying to you if I said that there wasn’t any doubt in my mind,” Sam Darnold said recently on The Herd. “There was a little bit of doubt, you know, throughout those tough times in New York, but I had great teammates [and] great coaches that believed in me in New York. That’s what really kept me upright.”

After the Jets traded him to Carolina, Sam Darnold bounced around multiple NFL teams before finally finding success in Seattle. The Seahawks took a calculated gamble last year, signing him to that same three-year, $100.5 million contract, and the move has paid off massively. In the 2025 season, the Seahawks QB threw for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, guiding his team to a 14-3 record. Then, even while dealing with an oblique issue, Darnold led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title. 

Now, five years removed from his last snap in New York, Darnold doesn’t speak with bitterness. Darnold remains grateful for the opportunities the Jets gave him and considers the early struggles in his NFL career as part of his journey to success.