On Sunday, in the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold quieted some of the noise that he is just along for the ride on a great team, as his performance helped propel the Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
Darnold went toe to toe with MVP candidate Matthew Stafford on the way to victory. In the game, Darnold went 25 of 36 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. He also didn’t turn the ball over, despite having the third-most interceptions in the NFL during the regular season.
Even with all of that in mind, Darnold didn’t win over everyone, like former NFL running back LeSean McCoy.
Not Impressed
LeSean McCoy was one of the best running backs of the 2010s, being named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team. However, since being a member of the media, McCoy has been a provocative figure with his opinions.
One of the players McCoy has been critical of is Sam Darnold, and his performance in the NFC Championship game did not change his mind. On the postgame edition of his show “Speakeasy,” McCoy didn’t hold back on his feelings about Darnold.
“Y‘all got the pompoms on? Not me,” McCoy said. “I think he played well, but if you’re asking the real question, the real question is where was the Rams’ defense at? Where was the Rams’ special teams at?… I know who is at quarterback for the Seahawks: Sam Darnold. I know his past, I know his history, I know his resume, but you make him comfortable, he’s gonna play well, the guy is a former first-rounder.”
The question posed by McCoy’s co-host, Emmanuel Acho, was whether Darnold owed an apology.
“What do you want me to say? He’s a great quarterback? I can’t do that,” McCoy said. “When I watch the game, the Rams made it super easy for him. They rushed four all day, and they played zone.”
In the eyes of McCoy, Darnold will have to wait for another time to impress him, but in the eyes of his Seahawks teammates, Darnold has long taken care of that.
Best in the World
The debate over where Sam Darnold ranks among other quarterbacks in the NFL is ongoing, but his Seahawks teammates think he is one of the best in the world.
Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo, who caught one of Darnold’s three touchdown passes, had high praise for Darnold in his postgame press conference. Seahawks.com provided the transcript of Bobo’s answer.
“He’s the best in the world. It didn’t surprise anybody, I’ll tell you that. Just the way he came out and got it done for us,” Bobo said. “Obviously, he’s got one more in him. I think this is going to be fun to watch him enjoy this one especially.”
Darnold’s guard, Grey Zabel, echoed Bobo’s sentiment about the type of player and leader Darnold is.
“He’s a warrior, a leader and a great friend. Just having a guy like that running offense,” Zabel said. “He’s one of the best quarterbacks that I’ve ever had. He’s incredible to be around. I’m not surprised from what he did tonight because that’s the type of player he is. It’s a pleasure blocking for him.”
No matter how LeSean McCoy views Darnold, he is one win away from immortalizing himself in NFL history forever with a Super Bowl title.
LeSean McCoy Refuses to Apologize to Sam Darnold