For almost the entire 2024 NFL season, Sam Darnold looked like a new and improved quarterback.
But in the Minnesota Vikings’ final two games, he looked like the old Darnold.
Now the new starter for the Seattle Seahawks, Darnold is being honest about how things ended.
The Vikings struggled in Week 18 against the Lions and in an opening-round playoff defeat.
“For lack of a better term, we laid an egg as an offense,” Darnold told The Athletic. “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.”
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He’s not wrong. It’s just refreshing to hear Darnold admit all of that.
He could’ve chosen to be defensive, to act like it wasn’t his fault. But he pretty much owned it.
Despite that, Minnesota has long-since moved on to second-year QB J.J. McCarthy. The only reason Darnold got to start the entire 2024 season in the first place was because McCarthy busted his knee in August.
Darnold was fantastic, until he wasn’t.
“I feel like I could have played way better, to be completely honest with you,” Darnold said. “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.”
Now, Minnesota and Seattle both take new directions at quarterback. And while they’d love to have the entire season be great, they’d definitely like the ending to feel better than it did for the Vikings last season.
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