On Feb. 8, Sam Darnold will have a chance to complete one of the greatest career turnarounds in recent NFL history.
Darnold will start at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60. It’s a fitting opponent for the 2018 third overall pick, whose lowest NFL moment came six years ago against New England on “Monday Night Football.”
The Patriots’ defense wreaked havoc on Darnold and the New York Jets throughout the Week 7 matchup at MetLife Stadium. Darnold completed only 11 of his 32 passes for 86 yards, no touchdowns, four interceptions and a fumble in a 33-0 loss.
Darnold was mic’d up for ESPN during the thrashing, and he uttered three words that defined his disappointing Jets tenure.
“I’m seeing ghosts.”
Darnold’s reputation as a first-round draft bust seemed solidified after a horrific 2020 campaign in which he went 2-10 as the Jets’ starting QB — his final season in New York.
The Jets traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 season. After two unexceptional seasons in Carolina, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency and backed up Brock Purdy in 2023.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year deal before the 2024 season. Darnold was expected to compete with first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy for the starting job, but he won it by default after McCarthy went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Darnold seized the opportunity with a career year for the Vikings, leading them to a 14-3 record while throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 TDs and 12 INTs. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod and was named a finalist for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Despite his success, the Vikings let Darnold walk in free agency. The Seahawks rewarded him for his stellar season with a three-year, $100.5 million contract.
With Seattle, Darnold proved he wasn’t a one-hit wonder. The 28-year-old posted a 14-3 record for the second straight season, throwing for 4,048 yards, 25 TDs and 14 INTs en route to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. He led the way against the 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs to clinch the Seahawks’ first Super Bowl appearance since 2015.
After his memorable NFC Championship Game performance against the Rams, Darnold was asked about overcoming his infamous “seeing ghosts” moment.
“Yeah, I almost forgot about that. So thanks,” Darnold joked.
“There was a lot that I didn’t know back then, so I’m just going to continue to learn and grow in this great game.”
The Patriots may have the edge at QB with MVP finalist Drake Maye, but Darnold shouldn’t be overlooked heading into the Feb. 8 showdown. The Seahawks are tremendously difficult to beat when he takes care of the football. They have several weapons that can make it a long night for New England’s defense, namely running back Kenneth Walker and wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
That said, Darnold still tends to struggle with turnovers. His 14 interceptions this season marked the third-highest total behind Geno Smith (17) and Tua Tagovailoa (15). He has yet to throw a pick in the playoffs, but he’ll have to be at his best to avoid snapping that streak against a Pats D that has dominated opposing QBs this postseason.
Regardless of how Super Bowl 60 goes, Darnold’s remarkable turnaround will remain one of the NFL’s best stories in recent years. The ghosts he was seeing during his time with the Jets have been exorcised — for now.
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