Last December, Sam Darnold put up 246 yards and three touchdowns to help the Minnesota Vikings get a 27-24 win over the Seahawks on the road. A few months later, Darnold now calls Seattle his home. On Thursday, he was officially introduced as the Seahawks quarterback.
Going against Darnold last season, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald knows first-hand what teams have to do to prep for the quarterback, who had the best year of his career in 2024. Macdonald said when he talked to players who faced Darnold on the defensive side, they said “we felt him out there.”
“You definitely feel Sam’s presence and poise, competitiveness, accuracy,” Macdonald said.
Darnold put up his best numbers in passing yards (4,319), passing touchdowns (35) and completion percentage (66.2) as he helped lead the Vikings to a 14-3 record, a playoff spot and earned the record for most wins won by a quarterback in their first season with a team. Macdonald, who is entering his second year as a head coach, believes Darnold will continue to improve year-to-year.
“I think Sam’s best days are ahead of him and I think you’ve seen that through the course of his career, how he’s able to grow as a player,” Macdonald said. “I think we’re going to be really proud of our quarterback.”
Macdonald described his new quarterback as “tough as nails” and a “heck of a player,” emphasizing that he’s excited about what the 27-year-old will bring to the Seahawks in 2025.
“We got a lot people in our building that have a history with Sam that have a lot of respect for him as a person, as a leader, as a football player,” Macdonald said, likely referencing Seattle’s new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who worked with Darnold when they were on the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. “Being able to run the show operationally, Sam can do it with the best of them.”
The Seahawks had a spot to fill in the quarterback room after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, and with second-year former first-rounder J.J. McCarthy on their roster, the Vikings were able to operate without Darnold going forward.
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Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract, with $55 million guaranteed, with an average annual value of $33.5 million.
The Pro Bowler’s career year ended on a serious low note, losing to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and again to the Los Angeles Rams on Wild Card Weekend. He will now look to help the Seahawks, who went 10-7 last season, get their first playoff bid since 2022.
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