The Minnesota Vikings *let Sam Darnold walk to a Super Bowl in Seattle*, and that single fact should make every 12s heart swell a little bit. While the rest of the league is absolutely losing their minds trying to figure out who's gonna be under center this fall, we already know what our guy is capable of. Training camp for all 32 NFL teams is almost here, and it's an uneasy time for a lot of franchises that are not set at quarterback. But for us in the Emerald City? We've got a reason to breathe easy.
QB Chaos Reigns Across the League
Seriously, you just have to look around the league to see the absolute mess some teams are in. Take the New York Jets, for example. Geno Smith, our old buddy, is over there after coming from the Raiders, a team that landed the first pick in the 2026 draft with him as their starting QB. The article even asks if he's "always in the wrong place at the wrong time?" and suggests it "feels like it should be another one-and-done." Rough. Then you got the Cleveland Browns still banking on Deshaun Watson, which is just ridiculous. This "troubled veteran" has played only 19 games since 2020 because of NFL-mandated suspensions and injuries. He's turning 31 this season, and they're saying his body is "probably more like 61." Yikes. He's battling second-year QB Shedeur Sanders, too. And don't even get me started on Aaron Rodgers with the Steelers. He says this is his last year. Good luck buying that bridge in Pittsburgh, folks. The Arizona Cardinals are down to Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew after Kyler Murray is gone. The article straight up calls those guys "perfect ... as backups." Not starters! This is what poor quarterback play looks like, and it's happening all over.Why Seattle Is Different: Our Guy Sam Darnold
This is where it gets good for us. The Minnesota Vikings are out there with Kyler Murray, who just moved there, and they're not even banking on J.J. McCarthy because he's "the definition of a bust." Their big blunder? They "let Sam Darnold walk to a Super Bowl in Seattle." Think about that for a second. While other teams are pulling their hair out trying to find someone who can just be "serviceable" or isn't falling apart, our guy Sam Darnold was *part of a Super Bowl in Seattle*! That's not just a casual mention, that's a huge positive for what Sam can bring to Coach Macdonald's squad. The Vikings made a "bad decision-making" call, and we benefited from it. It just goes to show you that sometimes, avoiding the chaos is the best move. As training camp gets closer, the stakes are high for so many teams risking poor quarterback play. But for us, with Sam Darnold under center, coming off being part of a Super Bowl run in the Emerald City according to the league's own analysis, we can feel a whole lot better. Let's get ready to watch our guys, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, light up the field with Darnold throwing them the rock. What a time to be a 12!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.