Sam Darnold Already Did What Nobody Thought Possible, and the NFL Is Still Catching Up

Two years ago, would you have bet your house that Sam Darnold would win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks? Yeah, neither would most people. But here we are, and that's exactly what happened. The NFL is a league full of surprises, and Darnold's championship run is Exhibit A.

Think about this for a second: Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Justin Herbert have combined for zero Super Bowl rings by now. Zero. That's the wild part about this league. You can be hyped, you can be talented, and sometimes it still doesn't happen. Meanwhile, guys like Darnold are out here hoisting Lombardi Trophies.

Lamar Jackson's Peak Is Behind Him, and It's Sad to Say

Lamar Jackson feels like he's already peaked, and frankly, it's all downhill from here. Think about other dual-threat quarterbacks who came before him. Michael Vick was done in his early 30s. Russell Wilson would have broken down earlier if he wasn't such a lethal passer. Jackson is about to enter his age-29 season, and his body is taking the hits from his playing style.

Here's the real problem: John Harbaugh isn't running the ship anymore in Baltimore. Derrick Henry isn't getting any younger. Jackson hasn't stayed healthy because of how he plays. And realistically, how close is Baltimore to catching the best teams in the AFC like Buffalo, Jacksonville, New England, Houston, Kansas City, and Denver? Nowhere close. His lack of playoff success tells the whole story. He's had chances. It ain't happening.

Bo Nix Is Underrated, and Denver's About to Be Scary for Years

It's tough to be underrated at quarterback in today's NFL, but somehow Bo Nix never gets his flowers. You can't call him a system guy either. Jarrett Stidham was awful in the AFC Championship Game. Russell Wilson looked washed up during his year with Sean Payton. Nix doesn't get credit because people focus on Payton's reputation as a QB guru, but that's missing the point.

Denver has arguably the league's best defense led by Patrick Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Jonathan Cooper, and Talanoa Hufanga. But Nix? He was Tom Brady-esque with his clutch gene throughout 2025. Seven game-winning drives. Five fourth-quarter comebacks. A win over Josh Allen's Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round before a season-ending injury shut him down.

He's just entering his prime with the rest of Denver's young stars. This isn't a fluke. The Broncos are legit, and Nix is bringing Lombardi Trophy No. 4 to Denver eventually. It's when, not if.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.