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Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before a game against the Green Bay Packers.
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold will make history when he steps on the field for the first time in the regular season with his new team, the Seattle Seahawks.
ESPN’s Blake Warye initially reported in March, when Darnold signed with the Seahawks after one season and Pro Bowl honors with the Vikings, that he would be the youngest opening-week starter in franchise history.
That is just the beginning of how Darnold will quickly make his mark on Sunday.
Sam Darnold Set for Historic Fresh Start After Leaving Vikings
GettyMinnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold #14 looks on after facing the Indianapolis Colts.
Darnold, who won the most games by a quarterback in the first year with his new team (the Vikings) last season, is set to put his name in the league’s record books once again.
“JOURNEYMAN … Sam Darnold is going to be the youngest QB (28) in NFL history to start for 5 different teams (Jets, Panthers, 49ers, Vikings, Seahawks),” CBS Sports’ Doug Clawson posted on X on September 5.
Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft, believes the Seahawks are “ready to roll.”
Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on 66.2% completion with the Vikings in 2024, leading them to 14 wins and an NFC Wild Card Playoffs berth.
Darnold was 21-35 in his career as a starter before joining the Vikings. He parlayed that stat line to turn his one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings into a three-year, $100.5 million pact with the Seahawks.
Darnold struggled in the playoffs with the Vikings, though.
That performance, in a 27-9 Vikings loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, looms large ahead of Darnold’s showdown against a team that knows him better than most.
Former 49ers Teammates Get Honest About Sam Darnold
GettyQuarterback Sam Darnold #14 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before facing the Las Vegas Raiders.
Darnold and the Seahawks will open the season against the 49ers, who he played for in 2023 before joining the Vikings. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned Darnold’s experience in San Francisco when explaining his faith in the QB before the season.
However, Darnold’s former teammates, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and linebacker Fred Warner, noted a desire to put pressure on the ex-Vikings star.
Warner said they must “make his life difficult.”
“If they’re able to sustain the run game and let him play in rhythm … I think that would make it a long and hard day for us,” Warner told reporters, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Vince Lontz on September 4. “We’ve got to be on top of that and make his life difficult.”
Darnold has owned up to his issues with decision-making when under duress, particularly in light of taking 48 sacks last season with the Vikings, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL.
The good news for Darnold is that his setup with the Seahawks is similar to last year.
The system is different than what he ran with the Vikings, but Darnold is familiar with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s scheme, just as he was with the O’Connell’s thanks to his time with San Francisco.
Darnold once again has a talented wide receiver duo in Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, just like the Vikings have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and a formidable defense.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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