Super Bowl LX champion who completed one of the most improbable career resurrections in modern NFL history.
Sam Darnold was a backup four years ago. In February 2026 he won Super Bowl LX, going 19-of-38 for 202 yards and a touchdown to AJ Barner in a 29-13 win over New England. The Seahawks' defense did the heavy lifting, but Darnold became the first quarterback from the 2018 NFL Draft class to win a Super Bowl as a starter.
Path to the league
USC quarterback taken third overall by the Jets in 2018. Three losing seasons in New York ended in a trade to Carolina, where he started briefly before losing the job. Spent 2023 as Brock Purdy's backup in San Francisco. Took the Minnesota Vikings job in 2024 on a one-year deal, made the Pro Bowl, and finally cashed in.
Career highlights
Super Bowl LX champion. Two-time Pro Bowler (2024, 2025). NFC's No. 1 seed in 2025. Signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Seattle on March 13, 2025. First 2018 draft class QB to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Mayfield, Allen, Rosen, Jackson, Lauletta and Rudolph.
2025 season recap
Threw for 4,100 yards, 32 TDs and 11 INTs as Seattle went 14-3 and won the NFC West. Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed gave Darnold the deep options he never had in New York. The defense held opponents to under 19 points per game across the playoffs. Darnold's narrative shifted from bust to champion in the span of 18 months.
What to watch in 2026
Seattle opened at +950 to win Super Bowl LXI, tied for shortest odds in the league. Darnold opens the season Wednesday, September 9 against the Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch in Melbourne. The Seahawks' six primetime games include a Christmas Day showcase at Lumen Field. Repeat targets are everything now.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Sam Darnold
- NFL.com: Darnold silences skeptics in SB LX
- Seahawks: Darnold SB LX coverage
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Passing
17 games played▶Passing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | RTG | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | seahawks | 7 | 127 | 211 | 1,478 | 10 | 9 | 79.5 | 49.4 |
| 2025 | seahawks | 17 | 323 | 477 | 4,048 | 25 | 14 | 99.1 | 55.6 |
| 2024 | vikings | 17 | 361 | 545 | 4,319 | 35 | 12 | 102.5 | 57.3 |
| 2023 | 49ers | 10 | 28 | 46 | 297 | 2 | 1 | 85.1 | 50.1 |
| 2022 | panthers | 6 | 82 | 140 | 1,143 | 7 | 3 | 92.6 | 51.4 |
| 2021 | panthers | 12 | 243 | 406 | 2,527 | 9 | 13 | 71.9 | 38.8 |
| 2020 | jets | 12 | 217 | 364 | 2,208 | 9 | 11 | 72.7 | 32.9 |
| 2019 | jets | 13 | 273 | 441 | 3,024 | 19 | 13 | 84.3 | 45.6 |
| 2018 | jets | 13 | 239 | 414 | 2,865 | 17 | 15 | 77.6 | 45.9 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | seahawks | 7 | 11 | 72 | 6.5 | 0 | 18 |
| 2025 | seahawks | 17 | 35 | 95 | 2.7 | 0 | 24 |
| 2024 | vikings | 17 | 67 | 212 | 3.2 | 1 | 19 |
| 2023 | 49ers | 10 | 21 | 15 | 0.7 | 1 | 9 |
| 2022 | panthers | 6 | 26 | 106 | 4.1 | 2 | 26 |
| 2021 | panthers | 12 | 48 | 222 | 4.6 | 5 | 30 |
| 2020 | jets | 12 | 37 | 217 | 5.9 | 2 | 46 |
| 2019 | jets | 13 | 33 | 62 | 1.9 | 2 | 24 |
| 2018 | jets | 13 | 44 | 138 | 3.1 | 1 | 28 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Quarterback
- Group
- offense
- College
- USC
- Hometown
- Capistrano Beach, CA, USA
- Age
- 29
- Status
- active
Latest news about Sam Darnold
All news →Bears Rout Seahawks 34-17 in Week 8
Chicago Bears 34, Seattle Seahawks 17 at Lumen Field. Caleb Williams went 24 of 34 for 247 yards with 1 touchdown.
Seahawks Rout Chiefs 20-3 in Week 7
Seattle Seahawks 20, Kansas City Chiefs 3 at Lumen Field. Sam Darnold went 20 of 28 for 257 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
Broncos Edge Seahawks 17-14 in Week 6
Denver Broncos 17, Seattle Seahawks 14 at Empower Field at Mile High. Bo Nix went 17 of 27 for 107 yards.
49ers' Dre Greenlaw Suspended One Game for Head-Butting a Helmetless Ernest Jones IV
Greenlaw was ejected in the second quarter at Seattle after a late hit on Sam Darnold and an exchange with Jones, his third career ejection. The league also fined him $11,941 for conduct the week before.
49ers Edge Seahawks 32-29 in Week 5
San Francisco 49ers 32, Seattle Seahawks 29 at Lumen Field. Brock Purdy went 19 of 29 for 189 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.
AI Predicts Every Week 5 Game of the 2026 NFL Season
After an 11-of-16 Week 4, the model picks all 15 Week 5 games, from Thursday's Buccaneers-Cowboys to Bills-Rams on Monday night, with 49ers-Seahawks and Ravens-Falcons the closest calls.
Team
