After a career-defining run with the Minnesota Vikings, Sam Darnold is now headed to the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. And while Minnesota ultimately chose to move on from him, one former teammate is watching that run with mixed emotions. Darnold’s former wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, admitted it’s tough seeing his old quarterback playing on the game’s biggest stage, even as he openly roots for him.

“It’s tough to watch but of course I love that he’s in the Super Bowl,” Jefferson told USA Today on Thursday. “I’m happy for him. I want nothing but the best for him, especially the way his journey was at first. You know, people doubting him. People not giving him the respect. Now they’re giving him that respect. Now they’re seeing that he’s a top-tier quarterback in this league.”

Jefferson’s conflicted feelings are easy to understand. After bouncing around the league, Darnold landed in Minnesota and finally found stability. Under head coach Kevin O’Connell, he led the Vikings to a 14–3 record in the 2024 season. In the process, Darnold threw for more than 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns while guiding the team back to the postseason.

Jefferson, for his part, still delivered another strong season and extended his streak of 1,000-yard campaigns in 2024. During their time together, Jefferson thrived with Darnold under center. In 14 games, he caught 103 passes on 154 targets for 1,533 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. That connection is a big reason why, even while wishing Darnold the best, watching him face the New England Patriots on February 8 hits differently.

“Of course selfishly, I wish he had done that for us last year, but to see him blossom and bounce back right after last year, and make it this year, I’m all happy for him,” the wideout added. “I hope he wins. I’m rooting for Seattle, and I think Seattle is going to win.”

Meanwhile, Minnesota’s decision to move forward without Darnold has only intensified scrutiny since. J.J. McCarthy, the former first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, struggled to live up to the franchise-quarterback expectations early on. He appeared in just 10 games, led the Vikings to a 6–4 record, threw for 1,632 yards with a 57.2% completion rate, and accounted for 11 touchdowns before injuries once again disrupted his season.

As for Jefferson, while he still extended his 1,000-yard streak, it marked the least productive healthy season of his career. He finished with 84 receptions for 1,048 yards and just two touchdowns, missing the Pro Bowl for only the second time. Meanwhile, the quarterback Minnesota let walk is now playing for a championship after signing a three-year, $100.5 million deal with Seattle.

That said, the Vikings, after a poor 2025 season, will head into the offseason searching for answers ahead of 2026, especially after parting ways with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

The Vikings moved on from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah just eight months after extending his contract

The Vikings extended Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on a multi-year contract in May 2025. Just eight months later, the franchise reversed course and decided to part ways with him. In the interim, ownership tapped Rob Brzezinski, the team’s longtime executive vice president of football operations, to oversee the front office through the 2026 draft. That said, the ownership stopped short of pointing to any single decision as the reason for the move. Instead, Vikings owner Mark Wilf framed the firing as the result of a broader evaluation.

“It’s not necessarily a fair thing to talk about any one decision, and that’s the way we approach it,” owner Mark Wilf said about the reason behind firing Adofo-Mensah. “It’s a body of work; it’s a cumulative set of decisions. It’s four years of where we’ve been. We as ownership, and I know our fans, feel it, and our entire organization feels it. We need to get to a better place. This is strictly an ownership and organizational decision that we feel this is the best path going forward.”

While ownership avoided specifics, reporting since the move has filled in some of the gaps. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, significant tension existed inside the Vikings’ building. And one source described the situation as “ugly.” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added further context. The analyst noted that the friction centered on the relationship between the front office and the coaching staff.

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At the heart of that tension was the team’s quarterback decision in the 2025 offseason. After a 14–3 campaign in 2024, Minnesota chose to move on from Sam Darnold and commit to J.J. McCarthy. The results were hard to ignore. McCarthy struggled, battled multiple injuries, and the Vikings ultimately failed to make the playoffs.

Taken together, it paints a picture of a decision driven by more than one factor. While no single move was publicly cited, ownership clearly believes that moving on from Adofo-Mensah represents the best path forward for the organization.