Latest news with #SamDarnold
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
After signing big deal with Seahawks, Sam Darnold knows he needs to prove himself again
RENTON, Wash. — Sam Darnold knows what you're thinking. If it makes you feel any better, he's essentially in agreement. He's acutely aware that his 2024 season ended on a note lower than Barry White's vocals, and plenty of fans could get enough of his quarterbacking. Sure, the No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft revived his formerly flailing career in an emphatic way last season, injecting himself into the MVP conversation while leading the Minnesota Vikings to the brink of the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed. Yet Darnold's final two games with the Vikings — especially his rocky effort in their first-round playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams — left a stench that has endured throughout the offseason, even as Darnold signed a hefty free-agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Advertisement 'For lack of a better term, we laid an egg as an offense,' Darnold said in an interview with The Athletic following a minicamp practice last week. 'And I think, for me personally, that sucks. I felt like we were a really good team, but at the end of the day — and this is gonna sound a little pessimistic — but when you get to the end of it and you don't win the whole thing, you failed. 'I feel like I could have played way better, to be completely honest with you. I feel I didn't play up to my standard. I truly feel that way. I feel like if I would have just played better, I would've been able to give the team a chance.' Darnold is running point for a new team now, thanks to the three-year, $100.5-million contract he signed with the Seahawks in March. That came after the Vikings extended only a one-year offer as Darnold headed into free agency, an indication of their intent to make J.J. McCarthy — the 10th overall pick of last year's draft, who missed his entire rookie season following knee surgery — their quarterback of the future. Now with his fifth team, Darnold, 28, sounds optimistic about his immediate future, an emotion echoed by at least one high-profile teammate's assessment. 'I think without a doubt, he's got his best football ahead of him,' said newly acquired wide receiver Cooper Kupp, a former All-Pro who was the MVP of Super Bowl LVI. 'I love his competitiveness. He's not OK with things being just OK.' Having spent his previous two seasons under the tutelage of two of the NFL's most respected offensive strategists, Kyle Shanahan and Kevin O'Connell, Darnold has enjoyed a reputational rehabilitation that compelled the Seahawks to pursue him in free agency instead of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers. They're betting that Darnold — like his predecessor, Geno Smith, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick three days before Darnold signed with Seattle — will flourish after a mid-career reboot based in the Pacific Northwest. Advertisement 'I do see him (as ascending), because — well, the experience we had with Geno would tell us that,' general manager John Schneider said. 'These guys need reps, and he got a ton (in 2024). 'The undercurrent from the league going into last season was that he had kind of turned the corner. And then, the evidence was there.' The Darnold Renaissance began with little fanfare, during his one-year stint as Brock Purdy's backup with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. Having flamed out as a starter for the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, Darnold attempted to rebuild his career by joining the Niners, who still had Trey Lance (the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft) and Purdy (a 2022 seventh-rounder who'd thrived as a late-season replacement for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo during his rookie season) on the roster. At the start of a training camp competition between Darnold and Lance for the backup job, Shanahan, the 49ers' coach since 2017, went heavy on the hyperbole, telling me he saw some parallels between his newly signed passer and former San Francisco star Steve Young, a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 'I mean, Steve Young took a while to get going, and he's one of the best quarterbacks of all time,' Shanahan said. 'I don't like to compare anyone to Steve, 'cause of how good he is, but why can't Sam be like that? He's got that type of ability. He is that type of person. And I'm just pumped that we could get a talented guy like him here.' Darnold, after beating out Lance, barely played as Purdy helped guide the 49ers to a Super Bowl LVIII appearance, starting only a meaningless early January game against the Rams. However, his year under Shanahan's tutelage helped get him to a better place in 2024. The Vikings offered him a one-year, $10-million deal as their presumed starter, albeit of the stopgap variety. Advertisement That metric began to shift as the season played out, with Minnesota winning 14 of its first 16 games and Darnold putting up impressive numbers, including a 35-12 touchdown pass to interception ratio. It seemed highly possible, if not likely, that the Vikings would place the franchise tag on Darnold after the season, and perhaps negotiate a lucrative long-term extension. Then the new year arrived — and Darnold seemed to revert to his unseemly past. In the regular season finale, he completed only 18 of 41 passes in a 31-9 defeat to the NFC North rival Detroit Lions, relegating the Vikings to a wild-card slot. Eight days later, in a game relocated to Glendale, Ariz., because of deadly wildfires in Southern California, Darnold was sacked nine times and had two turnovers (including a fumble returned for touchdown) in a 27-9 loss. The lasting image wasn't pretty, and the Vikings allowed Darnold to hit free agency, but Schneider and second-year head coach Mike MacDonald weren't deterred. They had a vivid, first-hand recollection of his skill level: Three days before Christmas, Darnold (22 of 35, 246 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions) had thrown an impressive 39-yard touchdown pass to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the final minutes to lead the Vikings to a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks in Seattle. .@JJettas2 CLUTCH.#ProBowlVote 📺: @NFLonFOX — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 22, 2024 The Seahawks' pursuit of Darnold snuck up on many NFL observers and proceeded in rapid-fire fashion. While some believed the Las Vegas Raiders would try to sign Darnold, minority owner Tom Brady — a seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback whose opinion held great sway — was not in favor of that approach, according to a source familiar with the franchise's internal discussions. Meanwhile, Smith, seeking a lucrative extension from the Seahawks, reacted coldly to the team's initial offer. The Raiders, having recently hired former Seattle coach Pete Carroll, emerged as a potential trade partner. As he negotiated the deal that would send the 34-year-old Smith to Las Vegas, Schneider pondered his best options to secure a successor: Darnold, Rodgers and Drew Lock, a former Seahawks backup who spent 2024 with the New York Giants. Rodgers, 41, had not expressed a sense of certainty (via his agent) about his plans, which made Schneider squeamish. There was a higher comfort level with Darnold because of his familiarity with Seattle's system: MacDonald's newly hired offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, had been the 49ers' passing game coordinator in 2023. Schneider had a conversation with O'Connell, the Vikings' fifth-year coach, who spoke highly of Darnold, hardening the GM's conviction. The Seahawks ended up signing both Darnold and Lock; in April they drafted ex-Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round. Advertisement Earlier this month, in an OTA workout open to reporters, Darnold threw a pair of red-zone interceptions, prompting Mike Salk of Seattle Sports 710 to ask MacDonald if something other than injury could cause him to start the season with a different starting quarterback. MacDonald gave an emphatic no, calling it a 'crazy question.' Darnold, of course, is very familiar with having his abilities questioned. 'I've never paid attention to that,' he said. 'Because if I did, I'd drive myself insane.' Even in the wake of last season's success, and despite his prior experience with Kubiak, Darnold doesn't purport to have all the answers. 'He wants to be perfect,' Kupp said. 'He wants to be right. He wants to be good for the guys. That's the standard he holds himself to, and I love it. The issue has never been whether he can throw the rock or not. I've been watching since he was at USC, and it's like, 'Man, he can throw the ball.'' Said Darnold: 'I'm hard on myself — always. I feel I can be a lot more consistent with how I play.' Specifically, Darnold — based on subsequent film study — believes he must get better at adjusting to the defensive strategies employed by the Lions and Rams last January. 'I feel like LA did very similar things on third down to what Detroit did to us,' Darnold said. 'They played man and tried to play some 'robber' stuff, and that just gave us some troubles. It gave me some troubles, personally.' So, too, have MacDonald's defensive alignments during offseason practices. As he becomes more familiar with various scheme tweaks designed to take away his options downfield, Darnold is determined not to hold the ball too long, even if it means relying more on his athleticism. 'KO and those guys in Minnesota did such a good job — and we do a great job here as well — of giving me answers if they take options away,' Darnold explained. 'Like, just go through your progressions and work your feet and if it's not there take off and run — because there's no one accounting for the quarterback, unless they play a spy or whatever. 'I learned a lot last season, from those two games especially. At the end of the day, you go through those experiences, you learn, and you get better. I try every single day to get better. That's it.' (Top illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Christopher Mast / Getty Images)
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Seahawks' Sam Darnold called \
Seahawks' Sam Darnold called "riskiest move" of the offseason The Seattle Seahawks made the decision to sign free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold after trading starter Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold inked a three-year contract worth $100.5 million. Seattle is hoping their gamble pays off. Bleacher Report recently compiled a list of the five riskiest moves of the offseason. The Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to sign Aaron Rodgers is among the inclusions. Notably at no. 1 overall is the Seahawks' move to sign Darnold in free agency. "The Seattle Seahawks' gamble is a risk on another level entirely," Kristopher Knox wrote. "Like the Rodgers signing, it has the potential to blow up in Seattle's face and cost jobs. However, it's a risk Seattle didn't necessarily have to take. While the financial investment isn't egregious for a starting quarterback, it's a lot for a seven-year veteran with exactly one good season on his resume." B/R is correct that the Seahawks are taking a huge risk by handing the offense to Darnold. As noted, his previous experience with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak could prove decisive. Kubiak also plans to field a run-heavy offense with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in the backfield, removing some pressure from Darnold. Knox was willing to entertain the potential positive outcomes, too. "It could all work out, of course," Knox added. "Darnold's salary is manageable. He has experience with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was with Darnold in 2023 as the San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator. Maybe Darnold's Pro Bowl campaign was only a glimpse of what's to come, and his end-of-year struggles an aberration." Darnold will decide the Seahawks' 2025 season.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Key protector for Vikings' JJ McCarthy takes big step in return from 2024 season-ending injury
The post Key protector for Vikings' JJ McCarthy takes big step in return from 2024 season-ending injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Minnesota Vikings are in the middle of minicamp as the team prepares for the upcoming season. JJ McCarthy is leading the way as the starting quarterback for the first time in his career after sitting out last season with an injury. On Tuesday, the second-year quarterback got some good news about one of his key protectors also returning from injury. Advertisement Minnesota announced that left tackle Christian Darrisaw returned to practice. He was spotted participating in individual drills, as he works his way back from a torn ACL he suffered in the Vikings' 30-20 Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. That's big news for the Vikings, as Darrisaw is one of the more consistent offensive linemen in the league. The 26-year-old left tackle should play a key role upon his return and help protect McCarthy throughout next season. Especially with this being JJ McCarthy's first time ever playing as a starting quarterback in the NFL. McCarthy, who is 22 years old, is coming off a torn ACL injury himself. He was potentially in the mix to start for the Vikings last season; however, he was ruled out for his entire rookie year before the season even started. Sam Darnold filled in and played well enough to earn a three-year, $100.5 million contract. Advertisement Minnesota might just be getting healthy at the right time. There's still plenty of time between now and Week 1. But the Vikings are hoping for big things next season after finding success in the 2024-25 campaign. Especially if McCarthy proves to be the franchise quarterback the team needs. The last time he took the field, McCarthy was playing for the Michigan Wolverines under Jim Harbaugh. McCarthy helped lead the Wolverines to a championship in his final year of college football. That season, he recorded 2,991 passing yards and 25 total touchdowns (22 passing) while owning an impressive 72.3% completion percentage (led the Big-Ten Conference in completion percentage that season). Related: Vikings give $23.25 million contract extension to J.J. McCarthy weapon Related: Justin Jefferson's important message to Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vikings rumors: Minnesota encouraged by J.J. McCarthy's recent injury progress
The post Vikings rumors: Minnesota encouraged by J.J. McCarthy's recent injury progress appeared first on ClutchPoints. Despite his recovery from a knee injury, the Minnesota Vikings committed to quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the 2025 offseason over Sam Darnold. So far, they are pleased with that decision, believing the former top-10 pick will be ready to go by training camp. Advertisement McCarthy, who is still rehabbing the torn meniscus that kept him out of the entire 2024 season, looked better on the field each day of the Vikings' mandatory minicamp, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported. Fowler added that Minnesota could not be more pleased with McCarthy's progression and has built a 'three-year plan' around him. 'The Vikings feel that J.J. McCarthy in day nine of his offseason workouts was a lot stronger than day one,' Fowler said. 'Coming off that knee issue, they knew he could start a little slowly, but they like the way he's throwing the ball. They feel very comfortable with where he's at going into training camp; they didn't sign [Aaron Rodgers] in lieu of McCarthy because they believe in their three-year plan… They believe they can win the Super Bowl in the next three years.' The Vikings entered the 2025 offseason with a conundrum and were forced to decide between Darnold and McCarthy as their long-term quarterback. While nobody expected Darnold to blow up in 2024 the way he did, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah ultimately opted to let the veteran walk, clearing the way for McCarthy. Advertisement After losing Kirk Cousins, the Vikings traded up for McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft. The torn meniscus derailed his rookie campaign, but Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have gushed over his potential throughout the offseason. Vikings, J.J. McCarthy prepare for rejuvenated 2025 season Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Vikings traded for Sam Howell on draft night, but 2025 will be the Year of J.J. McCarthy. However, Minnesota endured several other changes in the offseason to boast an improved roster in the fall. McCarthy will work behind a revamped offensive line that includes the recent additions of Ryan Kelly, Will Fries and Donovan Jackson. After allowing 49 sacks in 2024, Minnesota's offensive line should be much improved in 2025. Advertisement The Vikings' offense also added Jordan Mason, Tai Felton and Rondale Moore. The signings provide depth to an already elite skill group led by Pro Bowlers Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones. Everything Adofo-Mensah did in the offseason was meant to build around McCarthy and give him the best possible situation to debut in. Related: Vikings hand offensive coordinator new contract before 2025 season Related: 3 Minnesota Vikings underrated sleepers who could break out in 2025 NFL season
Associated Press
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp enjoying settling in with new team
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — When it comes to food recommendations in the Seattle area, new Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp is open to suggestions. Just not from fellow newcomer and quarterback Sam Darnold. The veteran quarterback invited Kupp to get dinner with him earlier this offseason, and some of the suggestions caught the 31-year-old wide receiver off guard when recalling the night after the first of two minicamp practices at Virginia Mason Athletic Center, which concluded Wednesday. 'The way he came off was he wanted to go get some fries and chicken strips,' Kupp said on Tuesday. 'Look, I have a 6-year-old. I can bring you his food. I can bring that, and I'll go eat something good. It ended up being fine. He ventured out and was, like, OK. He was at least willing to try some stuff. I may have misread him. We'll see. Time will tell.' Time will also tell how well Kupp fits in with a new franchise after spending each of the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and signing a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seahawks in March. In some ways it's a homecoming for Kupp, who grew up watching the Seahawks, is from Yakima, Washington and played at Eastern Washington. He still has plenty to acclimate to, though, after all that time with an NFC West rival. Kupp referred to joining a new team as 'exciting.' 'It's been a long time since I learned a new offense, a long time since I sat in a meeting and had to put a face on the board and what's this guy's name?' Kupp said. 'That's a stressful situation. That's a high-stress situation. It's good, though. I'm excited about what we're doing, and it is fun.' He's eager to work with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, whose system has some similarities to what is run by the Rams and their coach, Sean McVay, as well as San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and his scheme. Kubiak was the 49ers passing game coordinator in 2023 when Darnold was also with the team. 'There's going to be the nuances here and there, things like that, but a lot of similar stuff, a lot of similar ideas in how you're attacking a defense,'' Kupp said. 'I believe in this offense and what it takes to make it successful and the detail that's involved with it. … There's definitely some stuff that accentuates the things that I've done in the past.'' All Kupp has done in the past is produce — and more recently, struggle a bit to stay on the field. Each of the past three seasons, Kupp has failed to play in more than 12 games, which in part led the Rams to let the Super Bowl 56 MVP leave in free agency. Kupp said that he felt good physically, and he looked the part each day of minicamp when running routes. He faces quite the task in adding to a receiver room that is paced by third-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is fresh off his first 1,000-yard season. Veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is also on the team, and he spent half of last season playing under Kubiak when the latter was the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald has been impressed by both wideouts' approaches to learning Seattle's offense. 'They're attacking every day, man,' Macdonald said. 'Just trying to master the playbook, all the formations, all the route steps, all the timing. If you have that spirit about you every day, I mean, it's contagious, one, with the rest of the room, with the rest of the offense, the whole team. It makes it fun to go to work and enjoy the process. But, of course, that's going to expedite your growth when you have guys like that.' Still, Kupp recognizes he has much learning to do between now and when the Seahawks open their season on Sept. 7 against the 49ers. It's in part why he's already spent a bunch of time in Macdonald's office picking his brain. Kupp has enjoyed settling in with a new team and that the internal belief is what has resonated with him most. 'For any of this stuff to work, for all the goals and all the things we want to set out to achieve, it's the understanding that we're going to ultimately achieve it together,' Kupp said. 'It's going to be playing for each other. … Man, what can I do to be better for the guy next to me? This is a place that guys embody that, and they believe it. I think that makes it a fun place to come into, a fun place to come work.' ___ AP NFL:
