It is time to admit Sam Darnold is for real ahead of Super Bowl 60

Sam Darnold is one of the most polarizing players in the NFL, and the Seattle Seahawks quarterback has certainly had a rollercoaster of a career thus far. Darnold was drafted third overall in 2018 by the New York Jets, but he quickly turned into what looked like a draft bust. He then failed as the signal caller with the Carolina Panthers before being limited to backup duty with the San Francisco 49ers.

Last year, though, the USC product broke out with the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold earned a Pro Bowl nod and led his team to the playoffs, finally living up to his pre-draft billing in the process. However, Darnold found success with Kevin O’Connell calling his plays. O’Connell is viewed as a quarterback whisperer and one of the best play callers in the NFL, so many figured Darnold’s success was a fluke, and that he’d return to form as a below-average quarterback one he joined the Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5 million deal in the offseason.

The Seahawks’ decision to replace Geno Smith with Darnold was controversial at the time, but the team has been vindicated because Darnold has led them to a Super Bowl 60 appearance. The team is even the favorite to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, and Darnold has a good shot at winning Super Bowl MVP honors. That makes it officially time to admit that Darnold is for real.

Why did Sam Darnold get off to a slow start?

Darnold did not enter the league in a great situation. The Jets team that drafted him has been unable to get the quarterback position right for decades. The team has continuously failed to develop signal callers, and while Darnold can be blamed at first glance for his early-career struggles, hindsight proves that New York did him no favors.

Even so, Darnold was responsible for a lot of his shortcomings. His arm strength was never a problem, but the quarterback was a disaster when it came to turnovers during his time with the Jets. In his three seasons with the Jets, Darnold had 39 total interceptions. Darnold was infamously “seeing ghosts” in a 33-0 shutout loss.

He had 13 additional interceptions in his first year in Carolina despite the fact that he started just 11 games, too. Injuries and health issues were a major reason for Darnold’s earlier struggles as well. He battled through mononucleosis and numerous shoulder injuries. He also had ankle problems with the Panthers. While availability is the greatest ability, most of Darnold’s time off the field came in freak fashion, and not because he is injury-prone.

Furthermore, neither the Jets nor the Panthers had many weapons to help Darnold out. Expectations are high for someone of Darnold’s draft status, but he wasn’t given enough time to develop. The Jets gave up on him after just three seasons, and they have to be regretting that decision now.

What is working for Sam Darnold now?

While Darnold got off to a slow start to his career, he has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL recently. Turnovers are actually still a big issue. He fumbled a league-leading 11 times this season on top of throwing 14 interceptions. That comes with the territory of a gunslinger like Darnold, though.

The quarterback slings the rock all over the field, especially deep down the field. He is able to overcome the turnover issues by creating tons of big plays for his offense. Darnold had 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns last season, and his 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns this year weren’t far behind.

The Seahawks were third in scoring with 28.4 points per game. The quarterback has managed to eliminate his turnover issue in the postseason, too, as he has yet to throw an interception on this path to the Super Bowl. Darnold can throw on the run, from numerous arm angles, and to every level of the football field. He throws the ball with velocity but maintains accuracy. Even when he messes up, his mistakes don’t get to him, and he returns to action even better than before.

Plus, the Seahawks have surrounded him with weapons, as the Vikings did beforehand. With the help of Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has turned into one of the best receivers in the NFL. Cooper Kupp is a former triple crown winner, and trading for Rashiid Shaheed made too much sense because he is a burner who Darnold can target deep down the field.

Teams are eager to find their franchise quarterback, but sometimes a lack of patience bites them in the butt. The Jets should have stuck with their former premier draft pick, and the Vikings made a mistake in choosing JJ McCarthy over Darnold. The Seahawks are reaping the rewards, and they may be paid off with a Lombardi Trophy.

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