Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Sends Pre-Game Message to Vikings

By Robert Marvi

Contributing Sports Writer

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Sunday's game between the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks will be a reunion of sorts, as Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will be taking on the squad he was with last season.

It was in Seattle in 2024 where Darnold dramatically changed the trajectory and narrative of his NFL career. Coming into last season, the former No. 3 overall draft pick was thought to be a bust, but he turned in a Pro Bowl season while taking the Vikings to a 14-3 record and a playoff appearance.

He opted to join the Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5 million contract during the offseason, and he expressed gratitude for his one year in Minnesota ahead of Sunday's contest.

“I’m very grateful for the time that I spent there, all the people that I created relationships with, all the people in that locker room, all the coaches there, the people in that building,” Darnold said during a press conference this week. “But I am very excited to be here and to continue doing what we’re doing this year.”

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The University of Southern California product threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns last year, and with him at the controls, the Vikings went on a nine-game winning streak and nearly finished first in the NFC North. He said he grew on and off the field during his brief stay in the Gopher State.

“I think I improved in a lot of facets of my life, not only on the field, off the field as well,” he said. “Just continuing to learn football from great coaches over there and being around some really good players as well.”

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Through 11 games this year, he has put up 2,785 passing yards and 19 touchdown passes, and he's leading the NFL in yards per passing attempt and has completed 69.5% of his pass attempts. Even though the Seahawks don't have a true No. 2 threat at the wide receiver position, Darnold has gotten them to second in scoring, and he has helped wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba lead the league with 1,313 receiving yards.

They currently have an 8-3 record and are in the midst of a tight race for first place in the NFC West. They trail the first-place Los Angeles Rams by one game and are just half a game ahead of the third-place San Francisco 49ers.

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Minnesota likely wishes it still had Darnold under center right now. Its new starting quarterback, rookie J.J. McCarthy, has struggled in his six starts, and he has completed just 54.1% of his passing attempts while throwing more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (six). There have been calls for the team to bench him, and with him currently in concussion protocol, another rookie by the name of Max Brosmer will start on Sunday versus Seattle.

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