Sam Darnold will walk onto the field Sunday night for Super Bowl 60, and plenty of people still cannot believe it. The same quarterback who flopped spectacularly with the New York Jets now commands a $100 million (£79 million) contract with the Seattle Seahawks and sits one win away from NFL glory.
It was not supposed to happen this way. Darnold, 28, was meant to be the Jets' saviour when they grabbed him third overall in 2018. Instead, he became another cautionary tale about how that franchise ruins young quarterbacks. Three miserable seasons in New York saw him go 13-25 as a starter, throwing 45 touchdowns against 39 interceptions while taking a pounding behind a terrible offensive line—98 sacks in total.
That Infamous Night Against the Patriots
The low point came on Monday Night Football in October 2019. ESPN had him mic'd up, which turned out to be disastrous. Cameras caught Darnold telling his coaches he was 'seeing ghosts' as New England's defence picked him apart in a 33-0 thrashing. He managed just 11 completions on 32 attempts for a pathetic 86 yards, tossing four interceptions along the way. The NFL's own website called it a 'scary showing', which feels generous.
That comment haunted him for years. Every bad performance brought it up again. Jets fans mocked him. Opposing supporters had a field day. The phrase became shorthand for a quarterback completely lost on the pitch.
New York eventually gave up, trading him to Carolina in 2021. The Panthers were not much better. Darnold fractured his scapula, managed just four wins in 11 starts his first year, then found himself backing up Baker Mayfield in 2022—another dead end.
San Francisco Changed Everything
Darnold could have chased a starting job elsewhere in 2023, but he made a different choice. He signed with San Francisco to back up Brock Purdy and learn from Kyle Shanahan, one of football's sharpest offensive minds.
'I learned a ton. Just to be able to spend time in that system, and time around Brock, it was just a really good learning experience for me,' Darnold said. That humility—accepting a backup role to actually develop—proved crucial.
Minnesota took notice. The Vikings signed him to a bargain one-year deal worth $10 million (£7.9 million) in March 2024, expecting him to either compete with rookie JJ McCarthy or keep the seat warm. Then McCarthy's knee was injured during the preseason, and suddenly Darnold was the man.
The Minnesota Miracle Season
What followed shocked the entire league. Darnold did not just survive—he thrived. Minnesota went 14-3 with him under centre. He threw 35 touchdowns against 12 picks, racked up 4,319 yards, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. For someone written off as a bust, it was extraordinary.
Certainly, he stumbled badly in the playoffs against the Rams, but the body of work could not be ignored. Seattle certainly noticed. They handed him a three-year contract worth $100.5 million (£79.4 million) this past offseason, with $55 million (£43.5 million) guaranteed. Spotrac's breakdown shows he pocketed a $32 million (£25.3 million) signing bonus straightaway.
Back to the Big Stage
Darnold has done it again in Seattle. Another 14-3 regular season. Another trip to the playoffs. This time, though, he has gone further. His three-touchdown performance against the Rams in the NFC Championship—a 31-27 victory—put the Seahawks into Super Bowl 60.
Someone asked him about the 'seeing ghosts' moment after that Rams win. He laughed it off. 'I almost forgot about that. So thanks,' he said. 'There was a lot that I didn't know back then, so I'm just going to continue to learn and grow in this great game.'
The irony is not lost on anyone. His Super Bowl opponent Sunday? The New England Patriots. The same team that made him look completely lost seven years ago. Darnold has never beaten them—he is 0-4 lifetime against New England with nine interceptions and just one touchdown across those matches.
How can you not like Sam Darnold man pic.twitter.com/G3hv2Qy4sH
— Playoff Evan (@Baltlol) February 6, 2026
What Makes This Work Now
Seattle's coaching staff believe they have cracked the code with him. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who worked with Darnold in Minnesota too, said that Darnold has got a remarkably short memory. 'If he makes a mistake, he can go out and gun it the next play,' Kubiak explained.
That resilience matters because Darnold still makes questionable decisions sometimes. His 14 interceptions this season ranked third-worst in the NFL. But unlike his Jets days, he is surrounded by actual talent now—Kenneth Walker at running back, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp at receiver, and a defence that does not force him to be perfect every single week.
The match kicks off 11.30pm UK time Sunday, with Bad Bunny doing the halftime show. Whether Darnold wins or loses, his journey from laughingstock to Super Bowl quarterback already ranks amongst sport's wildest comebacks. A remarkable redemption arc for someone who was 'seeing ghosts' just a few years back.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
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