When it comes to the story of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, it looks like it may be just getting started.
Darnold helped lead the Seahawks to a 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship. Seattle will now meet the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.
For Darnold, it’s been a long and winding journey to get to this point. Signing with the Seahawks in free agency this past offseason made Seattle the fifth team he has suited up for in his eight-year NFL career.
But where it started was back at USC, where he quickly became one of the top prospects in the country after just two seasons. That led to him being drafted No. 3 overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft.
And while his time in Los Angeles ended years ago, he’s now making Trojans history.
Sam Darnold Makes USC History With Super Bowl Appearance
There are plenty of things Darnold can be proud of with how his career has turned around, but this one stands out. He will be the first USC quarterback in history to start a Super Bowl.
“USC has had 26 QBs selected in the NFL Draft, the most of any school. Somehow, Sam Darnold will be the first one to start a Super Bowl,” Yahoo Sports’ Kendall Baker said.
Considering how many quarterbacks have come through USC — and how many were drafted with serious expectations — it’s a wild stat. The Trojans have sent names like Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer and Mark Sanchez to the NFL, but none ended up getting to the Super Bowl as a starting quarterback.
Palmer and Sanchez each helped take their teams to conference title games, but neither made it to the Super Bowl.
The Next USC Super Bowl QB Might Already Be in the NFL
Darnold may be the first USC quarterback to start a Super Bowl, but he might not be the last.
There are technically two other Trojan starting quarterbacks in the NFL: the Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams and the New York Giants’ Jaxson Dart.
Both Williams and Dart have similar paths, too, as transfers who became recent first-round picks. Williams transferred to USC from Oklahoma after one season, then spent the final two years of his college career in Los Angeles. Dart’s story went the other direction, transferring out of USC to Ole Miss after one season and six game appearances before turning into a first-round pick.
Williams and the Bears came close to making the NFC Championship this season, falling short with an overtime loss to the Rams in the NFC Divisional Round.
But even beyond the current NFL crop, USC has another potential star on deck.
Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava is already being projected as a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft after a breakout season as the team’s starter. In 2025, Maiava threw for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 65.8% of his passes.
Some believed Maiava would declare early for the 2026 draft, but he ultimately decided to return for another season, aiming to raise his stock even higher. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished the year as the 10th highest-graded quarterback in college football with an 88.7 overall grade.
Seahawks’ Sam Darnold Will Do Something No USC QB Has Ever Done In Super Bowl LX