Sam Darnold Went 14-3 and the Emerald City Is Officially Bonkers
Holy smokes, 12s, what a time to be a Seattle sports fan! The news coming out of Lumen Field is absolutely electric, and if you haven't heard, Sam Darnold just pulled off a season that has the entire Emerald City buzzing like a packed Climate Pledge Arena on a Kraken playoff night. This isn't just good, folks, it's monumental.
Darnold Delivers a Playoff Dream
Remember that offseason move? Signing Sam Darnold to a three-year deal after moving on from Geno Smith? Yeah, everyone called it gutsy, a real pendulum-swinging kind of decision. But Darnold, who had already seen a career renaissance with a stellar 14-3 season in Minnesota, came here and did it again. In his *first year* in Seattle, under Head Coach Mike Macdonald and Offensive Coordinator Brian Fleury, he went 14-3 as a starter, was named to his second straight Pro Bowl, and more importantly, he busted those playoff ghosts wide open! He was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the entire postseason, even going blow-for-blow with league MVP Matthew Stafford in the NFC Championship Game. Seriously, this guy will never have to buy a drink in this town ever again.
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Sounders Back in Action, Test Themselves Against Belgium
After an 18-day break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, our Sounders are finally back at it! It's been a minute since they dropped their last game to LAFC on May 24, leaving them at 7-3-3 and 6th in the Western Conference. But things have changed in Renton. The Rave Green are sharing their training facility with none other than the Belgian Red Devils, and they even got some practice in against them. Belgium, fresh off a 1-1 draw against Egypt right here in Seattle, played a consortium of Sounders and Tacoma Defiance players in a shortened practice game with two 30-minute halves. We fell 2-1, but former USMNT winger Paul Arriola called it a "solid learning experience." He said, "It was a difficult game for us; we defended for a lot of the time. We saw a few offensive plays that I think we did pretty well in, and then defensively it was a lot for us to handle." Sounds like a real test, and exactly what the team needs to gear up for the rest of the season!
Storm's Tough Loss, Mariners Find Their Footing
While the Sounders were getting tested, the Storm faced a tough 94-89 loss to the Portland Fire at the Moda Center. It was a heartbreaker too, as Dominique Malonga had a career-high 28 points on 12-for-19 shooting and 11 rebounds, leading the Storm to their best offensive game of the season, shooting 48% from the field. They even held a formerly 12-point lead! But the Fire hit 17 triples and attempted eight more free throws, swinging the game in their favor as the Storm crumbled in the fourth. Tough one to swallow. Meanwhile, our Mariners are getting back on track! They sidestepped a bunch of recent injuries to start their latest homestand with a gritty 3-1 win against the Orioles. Logan Gilbert absolutely dazzled on the mound, and our man Cal Raleigh stole the show. Talk about correcting those road-trip wrongs!
It's an intense time in Seattle sports, with so much happening across the board. The energy is undeniable, and we're just getting started. Keep that blue and green passion burning, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.