The poor Minnesota Vikings had a couple of chances to make the right decision last offseason. Two of the team's quarterbacks would have made the Vikings better this season than they turned out to be, but both of those QBs were allowed to walk in free agency. One of them, Sam Darnold, signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
That Minnesota gave up on Darnold so easily after one season is now stunning. The Vikings hoped before the 2024 season that rookie JJ McCarthy would be the team's starter and be efficient while going through growing pains. He was hurt in the preseason, though, and Darnold became the starter.
The quarterback led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and a playoff spot. He wasn't good in the last game of the regular season or the Wild Card Round, both losses, but that was likely a team issue and not a quarterback one. Instead, Minnesota appeared to buy into the narrative that Darnold couldn't win the big games.
Former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was the Vikings about future Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold
They have learned that it isn't true while watching Darnold and his Seahawks reach the Super Bowl in 2025. The quarterback was efficiently cool against the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round, and Darnold was electric in the NFC Championship against the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle doesn't get to the Super Bowl without Sam Darnold.
According to Pro Football Talk, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett tried to warn Minnesota not to quickly move on from Darnold while making McCarthy the starter after rehabbing from his injury and returning this season. Garrett's exact advice was, "You can’t let that guy out of the building."
While Darnold was arguably a top 10 quarterback in the regular season and has elevated his play in the playoffs, even while dealing with an oblique strain, McCarthy was atrocious. Not only was he hurt again and missed seven games, but he also tossed 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. His quarterback rating was only 72.6.
The Minnesota Vikings could have also chosen to re-sign Daniel Jones, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts and was quite good before tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 14. Either Jones or Darnold would have been a better choice than McCarthy.
But Sam Darnold would have been the better one. The Vikings' loss is the Seahawks' gain. While Minnesota fans don't know what it's like to win a championship, as they are four-time failures in the Super Bowl, Darnold will be trying to help Seattle win its second title in 11 years.