Another brutal loss and quarterback performance from the Minnesota Vikings has truly descended this franchise into dysfunction. In the 2024 NFL Season, the Vikings had clearly planned to start JJ McCarthy for all or most of the season, but a preseason knee injury forced Sam Darnold into the lineup.
And all Darnold did was lead the team to 14 wins and play some of the most efficient football in the NFL. However, a shaky ending, including a one-and-done playoff, left the Vikings with a decision to make. With McCarthy on the mend, they decided it was best to go forward with their 2024 first-round pick.
Darnold then signed a cheap, three-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks, and thus far, Seattle is getting a massive return on their investment. Darnold, still only 28 years old, is playing elite football for the Seahawks. And as for the Minnesota Vikings, they have now lost three of their past four games and got blown out by the LA Chargers on Thursday Night Football.
The Vikings' failure to re-sign Sam Darnold gifted the Seahawks a top QB and left Minnesota with no answers
It's been a royal screw-up by the Vikings franchise, and I bet many of the coaches and front office executives do wish they had re-signed Sam Darnold. Darnold and the Seahawks are 5-2 through seven games and on their bye in Week 8. The veteran QB has also performed at a high level:
12 touchdowns
4 interceptions
109.2 passer rating
Let's rewind it back a bit to 2024. Through seven games in the 2024 NFL Season, Darnold and the Vikings were 5-2, and this is what the now-Seahawks' QB was producing:
14 touchdowns
5 interceptions
107.2 passer rating
Fast-forward to 2025, and it's clear that the Minnesota Vikings are suffering at the most important position in sports. Now 3-4 on the year, the Vikings' QBs have combined for:
9 touchdowns
8 interceptions
84.1 passer rating
It's baffling that a franchise as well-run as the Vikings has managed to mess up the QB situation this badly. I am sure the Seahawks were probably pinching themselves when they were able to get Darnold under contract. Seattle might just be the most complete team in the NFC right now and could absolutely win the NFC West this year.
It just goes to show you how hard it is to build a winning NFL team, but it almost feels like Seattle has made it look easy. In a year and a half of the Mike Macdonald era, not only has the defense been great, but they essentially replaced former QB Geno Smith for a third-round pick and Sam Darnold, who, realistically, should have been re-signed by the Vikings.