Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has had to go through a lot to get to this point. He went from being labeled as a bust, traded, and benched to signing a $100-million deal ahead of his eighth season in the league to making the Super Bowl.
Not many people thought he'd be the first quarterback of the stacked class of 2018 to reach the final game of the season, even before the likes of Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. More than that, he wasn't carried there; he was one of the main reasons why the Seahawks were such a juggernaut.
Darnold has been much better than most fans and analysts expected. That has especially been the case in the playoffs, as he's now joined a very exclusive list of superstars ahead of his first Super Bowl appearance.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold's postseason numbers have been absolutely elite
As pointed out by senior NFL researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno, Darnold has the fourth-highest postseason passer rating among starting quarterbacks entering the Super Bowl (124.4). He trails only Matt Ryan (2016, 132.6), Patrick Mahomes (2019, 131.5), and Ben Roethlisberger (2005, 124.8) on that list.
Darnold must be doing something right if he's on a list with three MVPs and two Super Bowl champions. Against all odds, he's just one win away from hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy and potentially even being the Super Bowl MVP.
The USC product didn't need to do much in the win over the San Francisco 49ers, but he delivered every single time he had to make a play. He completed 12 of 17 attempts for 124 yards and one touchdown. Then, he caught fire in the biggest game of the season, torching the Los Angeles Rams with 25 completions on 36 attempts for 346 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Darnold deserves all the credit in the world for how he's salvaged his career. He took a big jab to the chin, took a step back, and sat for a while to work on his game. It takes plenty of character, maturity, and humility to do that as a former No. 3 pick.
He should be a walking reminder for other teams. He's another proof of why teams shouldn't be so quick to pull the plug on their young, struggling quarterbacks. Some players are late bloomers, and it's just a matter of finding the right environment and system for them.