The Seattle Seahawks' schedule is beginning to unfold, and the team will reportedly face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 at Lumen Field. When doing so, quarterback Sam Darnold could be staring at his future.
Because why stop at one? Super Bowl championships, that is. Mahomes has three and is still young enough to add another or two. Darnold got his first last season and will still only be 29 years old when next season begins. Most likely, he will be the starting quarterback in the Pacific Northwest for many years to come.
Maybe long enough to match, or even exceed, Mahomes' total. Why not? Whereas KC has had a good defense and a great offense during Mahomes' run to titles, the Seahawks have somewhat the opposite. The way Seattle is built might even mean longer-lasting success as the team is built to have sustained high-end success on defense.
Seattle Seahawks reportedly facing the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 of the 2026 season
Defenses win championships, and no fanbase knows that better than 12s. Twice the team has won the Super Bowl, and both times the team has been led by an elite defense. The quarterback play has been good, but not need to be transformative consistently. That is what Darnold was last year.
Sam Darnold is never going to match the pure skill set of Patrick Mahomes when he has been at his best. Few quarterbacks ever could do that. What Darnold can match is Mahomes' poise and leadership when the most important games are at their most intense. That is ultimately what separates a good quarterback from a historically great one anyway.
While Darnold was not perfect last year (he led the NFL in turnovers, after all), he did come through when it mattered most. With the defense struggling against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game, for instance, the quarterback had arguably the best game of his life by completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns. He didn't have a turnover.
Patrick Mahomes should be fully back by Week 7. He suffered a knee injury late last season and is iffy to return by Week 1. He will have at least played a few games by the time the Chiefs take on the Seattle Seahawks, so he won't be shaking off rust.
The game could certainly come down to a showdown between Darnold and Mahomes. If the Seahawks steal the victory, it could be one more step in another push towards a title. That would be Sam Darnold's second, just one away from matching Mahomes.
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