In one week, the Seattle Seahawks will look to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history when they take on the New England Patriots. The last time the Seahawks were in the Super Bowl, they played the Patriots, but over the last decade, both franchises have undergone change, turmoil, ups, and downs. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold can relate to this as well.
Once drafted to be the savior of the New York Jets franchise, Darnold then seemed destined to become a journeyman after a lackluster stop with the Carolina Panthers and a backup stint with the San Francisco 49ers. With the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold resurrected his career as a starter, but his faltering at the end of the season reignited the doubts that had plagued him.
Now, after signing with the Seahawks this offseason, Darnold may have finally found his long-term football home, and he’s not bitter about the journey to get there.
No Chip on His Shoulder
Sam Darnold is a player who could have been bitter with the way his career had played out. He went from the “next big thing” to being viewed as a punchline, but that is not in Darnold’s nature.
On the “Dan Patrick Show” on Friday, Darnold discussed whether or not he had a chip on his shoulder.
“You know, Dan, I’m being honest with you, I don’t ever feel like I had a chip on my shoulder,” Darnold said. “I just don’t think that’s really my personality. I’ve never been like that, you know, at any point in my life. I’ve always just worked hard and treated every single day as its own day. Because I feel like, just with me personally, if I got too high or too low, that affected performance. So, I feel like I was always just better if I stayed right here, just even-keeled.”
After experiencing the rollercoaster that is playing quarterback in the NFL, Darnold has chosen to take a humble approach to the position, having seen firsthand its turbulent nature. While Darnold won’t try to dispel narratives around him, his teammates will.
Teammates Support Him
Sam Darnold may not feel the need to puff out his chest and justify his standing in the NFL as a top-level quarterback, but his teammates have no problem doing just that for him.
After the NFC Championship game, wide receiver Cooper Kupp took on the narratives about Darnold being the one who was going to blow the Seahawks opportunity at a Super Bowl. Seahawks.com provided the transcript of Kupp’s answer.
“Everyone wants to make a narrative about this guy, but he’s been the same guy since he walked in the door,” Kupp said. “You don’t want me writing the stories because I would not write the narratives out there. This guy is the man and his teammates love him and he’s competitive as crap and he’s tough. He’s really talented and he’s a winner. That would be the story. So don’t let me write the story.”
On Sunday at the Super Bowl, Darnold has the opportunity to silence critics once and for all about what he can and can’t do, but doing so is not at the forefront of his mind; his only objective is to win.
Sam Darnold Isn’t Motivated By Spite