We all saw it, and are processing it in different ways. Sam Darnold is a Super Bowl Champion.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for Vikings fans all over the globe, as the “what-if” of Darnold returning to Minnesota in 2025 will forever echo. Seeing Darnold raise the Lombardi in a Seahawks uniform was a shock to the system.
Former Vikings QB Nick Mullens even weighed in on Darnold winning it away from the Vikings.
Former Vikings QB Nick Mullens Shows a Little Shade Towards Team
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 08: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings enters the field alongside quarterback Nick Mullens #12 prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on January 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Nick Mullens was with the Vikings from 2022-2024. He was acquired by Minnesota in the 2022 off-season via trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2024 conditional seventh round pick.
Mullens opened up in an ESPN piece from Kalyn Kahler. The summarization comes from Kyle Joudry of Vikings Territory.
“Mullens didn’t love how the blame for Minnesota’s late-season collapse got dropped down on Darnold’s shoulders. Instead, the veteran passer spreads the blame. ‘A lot was put on his shoulders to really lead the team to 14 wins,’ insists Mullens, ‘And now that he’s got a complete football [team], I’m not totally surprised. The run game is really good in Seattle.'”
Mullens spoke on Darnold and the Vikings’ decision to let Darnold walk.
“It was not only Sam’s fault,” Mullens said. “To say that two weeks before those games, he was a top-desired, top-dollar free agent, and then he plays two bad games after winning 14, and then he’s, a ‘I don’t know if he truly is the guy or not.’ To go from that high to that low, I think, is an unfair judgment.”
Opinions from a former player that was on the team are always interesting, and can peel back the curtain a bit on the inner-workings of an organization.
Minnesota Speculated to Draft Avieon Terrell in 2026 NFL Draft
GettyCLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 06: Avieon Terrell #8 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates his deflection against the Troy Trojans during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 06, 2025 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Katie Januck/Getty Images)
If the Vikings are to draft a corner in the first round this year, it would be the first time since when they took said Gladney. In PFF‘s post-Super Bowl mock draft, they had Minnesota doing just that.
“The Vikings have finished outside the top 15 of team PFF coverage grade in each of the past six seasons and need plenty of help in their secondary. Terrell’s 90.6 PFF overall grade over the past two seasons ranked fifth among all Power Four cornerbacks.”
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com provided a nice write-up of Avieon Terrell in a draft profile.
“Avieon shares the same bloodlines and coverage temperament as his brother, A.J., a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Avieon Terrell is an athletic, fluid mover with clean transitions and enough speed to stay in phase on most vertical routes. He’s most effective in press-man coverage, where he mirrors releases with timing and discipline, staying crowded to the route.”
He concedes 50/50s to bigger targets at times, but is a constant catch irritant with good technique on all three levels. He can play wide or inside and is willing in run support, but he lacks ideal size. Terrell projects as an early starter thanks to his polish, ball skills and coverage versatility.”
Terrell would join a cornerback room that is in dire need of young talent. As of now, Minnesota boasts a corner grouping of Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers Sr., and a bunch of UDFA’s behind them, not including pending free agents.”
Vikings Receive Blunt Words From Former Multi-Year QB