Even before Sam Darnold threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in Week 3, the trolls on social media were already out. Many asked, or simply stated outright, that the Seattle Seahawks should replace Darnold with Drew Lock. After all, hadn't Lock won the first two games of the season?
Knowledgeable 12s know that Lock is no real long-term replacement for Darnold, the quarterback who led the team to a Super Bowl title last season. Social media makes knee-jerk reactions far too easy for those who 1) might not be real human beings and 2) likely didn't watch the game.
A highlight shows Darnold throwing an interception, and one might argue that he should be replaced, but the context is unknown and, sadly, immaterial. Which means if Darnold has a bad game on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, Seahawks fans looking at social media soon after the game will likely see a lot of Sam Darnold hate.
Sam Darnold is going to stay the Seattle Seahawks QB1 no matter what internet trolls might say
Yet, the quarterback was only inefficient early in his career when he was still finding a path to success. He learned how to be successful three seasons ago, and in the last two seasons before 2026, he was excellent. Some will forever dismiss him as a quarterback who can't win important games and sees ghosts, despite the fact that he won a lot of important games last season.
Darnold also handles his doubters with grace. He isn't going to try to fight back against a false narrative. His ability to block out the noise has been well-earned and has been learned over many seasons in the league. Some pundits refuse to see Darnold for the good quarterback he is, but would rather draw attention to themselves by saying unfair and incorrect things.
Even his Week 3 performance against the Commanders wasn't terrible. Sure, he threw an interception that he shouldn't have, and had another that hit a Washington player's helmet and changed course.
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Sam Darnold still completed 31 of 45 passes for 379 yards and four touchdowns. His quarterback rating was a very good 105.7. Darnold didn't lose the Seattle Seahawks the game; the defense and turnovers did. Running back Jadarian Price had one of the latter with a bad fumble inside Seattle territory.
To his credit, Drew Lock also isn't going to complain about being a backup or say he should be the starter. He's a great teammate and understands his role. He has doubters too, of course.
But should Darnold struggle against the Chargers, Seattle isn't going to make a change at quarterback, even if Lock was good for the first two games. Darnold gives the team its best chance to win. He has already proven that.
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