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Sam Darnold is as stoic as they come at the quarterback position, but after his best game for the Minnesota Vikings, the 27-year-old showed his emotions on Sunday.
After throwing for five touchdowns and 347 yards in a 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons and Darnold’s predecessor Kirk Cousins, Vikings fans rained down with MVP chants for Darnold.
While Darnold has maintained an even-keeled attitude throughout the season, throughout, he let loose, waving a towel around on the sideline in the game’s closing minute as the fans gave him the credit he deserved.
Sam Darnold TURNIN UP with #Vikings fans 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VXKRFWBLtl
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) December 8, 2024
From running back Aaron Jones‘ perspective, Darnold’s emotional outburst was long overdue.
“I was hyped for him,” Jones said, per The Athletic’s Alec Lewis. “I was telling guys around me, ‘Yeah, Sam. Talk your [expletive].”
Sam Darnold Addresses Candid Moment on Vikings Sideline
After the game, Darnold admitted that his towel-waving on the sideline was a little uncharacteristic but felt he needed to return the energy from the fans.
“That was a lot of emotion from me. I was just excited, man. I feel like I couldn’t just sit there,” Darnold said through a smirk. “I feel like I had to show a little bit of emotion for the fans. That was a special moment for me.”
It was a special moment for Darnold and the Vikings franchise whose future seemed uncertain after moving off of Cousins after six years.
Outside prognosticators projected the Vikings to win just 6.5 games this season with Darnold, ranked 27th on NFL.com’s QB Index entering Week 1. For Darnold to enter Week 14 ranked 10th on the index is a massive success — and his performance on Sunday surely will catapult him further up the rankings.
The end of Sunday’s game had the feel of a party. Darnold standing on the bench, amping up the crowd. MVP chants rained down. Justin Jefferson smiling on the U.S. Bank jumbotron — all signs of relief that the new Vikings era has arrived.
Meme that! pic.twitter.com/WEarPy5Go3
— Seth Kaplan 📺 (@Seth_Kaplan) December 8, 2024
Sam Darnold Forcing NFL MVP Conversation
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GettyVikings quarterback Sam Darnold
Claiming Darnold should win the league’s MVP award would be an argument made in bad faith, but he has forced the conversation with four games left in the season.
Darnold ranks third in touchdowns thrown (28) and passer rating (108.1) as the quarterback of an 11-2 football team. He boasts the highest big-time throw rate by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and is tied for the most big-time throws with MVP frontrunner Josh Allen.
Darnold ranks higher than Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff in numerous categories, but the Lions’ 12-1 record has overshadowed the success in Minnesota.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Goff has the fourth-highest odds of winning MVP at +1700 compared to Darnold at +4000.
As a consolation, Darnold is on the first page with the sixth-best odds for the award. The national conversation should reflect his dark-horse status more going down the final stretch of the season.
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