Seahawks’ Sam Darnold accomplishes USC feat with Super Bowl LX touchdown

Sure, Super Bowl LX has been a defensive grind. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, though, secured a permanent place in the record books during the fourth quarter. By connecting with tight end AJ Barner for a 16-yard touchdown, Darnold became the first former USC quarterback to throw a passing touchdown in Super Bowl history.

Despite the University of Southern California’s reputation as a “Quarterback U” and its long history of producing first-round talent, the program had never seen one of its alumni throw for a score on the NFL’s biggest stage, until now. Legends like Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart never reached this specific milestone. With that one strike to Barner, Darnold effectively ended a statistical anomaly that has followed USC for 60 years.

Darnold’s historic moment is the culmination of a resurgent 2025 season. Fans saw him transform from a journeyman into a legitimate franchise leader. During the regular season, he led Seattle to a franchise-best 14-3 record. He threw for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns while earning Pro Bowl honors. Yes, his season was a “tale of two halves.” He peaked with a perfect first-half performance against the Commanders in Week 9 before battling through a turnover-heavy stretch in December. Still, Darnold found his form when it mattered most. His steady hand in the postseason included a 346-yard masterpiece in the NFC Championship against the Rams. Darnold proved he was the right choice to lead Mike Macdonald’s squad into the history books.

The touchdown occurred with just over 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Following a strip-sack of Drake Maye, the Seahawks’ offense took advantage of the short field. Darnold looked comfortable in the pocket. He found Barner on a corner route to extend Seattle’s lead to 19-0. Yes, the defense has been the headline for much of the night. That said, Darnold’s efficiency has been the glue holding the Seahawks’ championship aspirations together.

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