Sam Darnold Just Won a Super Bowl, So Why Are People Still Doubting Him?
Look, Sam Darnold won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Seahawks. He was clutch when it mattered most, threw zero turnovers across all three playoff games, and led Seattle to their second championship in franchise history. And yet, somehow, people are still out here questioning whether he's the real deal. This is wild.
The Haters Gonna Hate (Even When You're a Champ)
Fox Sports' Henry McKenna just dropped his 2026 offseason quarterback rankings, and here's where it gets frustrating: Darnold checked in at No. 16. That's down from No. 11 when the regular season ended. For context, the guy literally just won a Super Bowl. McKenna's main concern? Whether Darnold has actually grown past those ugly meltdown performances that haunted his regular season.
Fair point on the turnovers. Darnold finished the regular season with 20 of them, three more than Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith. Six came in two games against the Los Angeles Rams alone, including that brutal four interception game in Week 11 against LA. That was a 21-19 road loss, though the Seahawks were literally one long field goal away from pulling off the comeback. Still stings.
Here's the Thing: Everyone Has Bad Games
Let's pump the brakes on the narrative for a second. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions in a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had four interceptions and a fumble in a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions in just the first half of a 28-16 AFC Divisional playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
Stroud's on the hot seat. Stafford and Hurts rank higher than Darnold on McKenna's list. And Darnold, the guy with the "worse" ranking, literally has a Super Bowl ring. He proved he can lead a dynamic, productive Seahawks offense. Yeah, he needs to clean up the turnovers and fix his pre-snap blitz recognition. But that's coachable stuff when you've got the whole offseason to work with your team instead of learning a new system.
Next Up: Building on the Win
Darnold gets something most quarterback prospects never get: continuity. He's got the full offseason to train with the Seahawks, work with newly re-signed wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, and build on what they've already accomplished. The confidence is there. The experience is there. The Super Bowl ring is there. At some point, the doubters have to acknowledge what Darnold just did in the biggest moments that matter.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.