Sam Darnold

Signed by Seattle as a UFA on March 13, 2025.

TRANSACTIONS:

04/26/18: Drafted by N.Y. Jets (1st round, 3rd overall)
04/06/21: Traded to Carolina
11/12/21: Placed on IR (shoulder)
12/25/21: Activated from reserve
09/01/22: Placed on IR (ankle)
11/07/22: Activated from reserve
03/17/23: Signed by San Francisco as a UFA
03/15/24: Signed by Minnesota as a UFA
03/13/25: Signed by Seattle as a UFA

NFL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Voted to the Pro Bowl in his only season in Minnesota in 2024, recording single-season career-highs in games started (17), completions (361, 9th NFL), attempts (545, 8th NFL), completion percentage (66.29), passing yards (4,319, 5th NFL), passing touchdowns (35, 5th NFL) and passer rating (102.5, 6th NFL).
• Became the Vikings fifth 4,000-yard passer all-time, joining Kirk Cousins, Brett Favre, Daunte Culpepper and Warren Moon. Finished the 2024 regular season with 4,319 passing yards, the third-most yards by a Vikings QB in a season in franchise history, trailing only Daunte Culpeper in 2004 (4,717 passing yards) an Kirk Cousins in 2022 (4,547). Tied with Kirk Cousins for the second-most passing touchdowns in a season in franchise history with 35, trailing only Daunte Culpepper (39) and his six games with three-plus touchdown passes tied for the third-most games in a season in franchise history (Cousins & Culpepper).
• Became the first quarterback in Vikings history to post a 100-plus passer rating in each of the team's first four games to start a season, tying the longest streak among all quarterbacks league wide since 1970. With a career-high and franchise-record 157.9 passer rating against Atlanta, he set the team record for the most games with a 100.0-plus passer rating in Vikings history with his 11th such performance. Ended the season with 13 total. Also vs. Atlanta, became the first quarterback in team history to have at least 20 completions, multiple passing touchdowns and no interceptions in four-straight games.
• His 14 wins as starting quarterback are a franchise record, and he became the first quarterback in NFL history to record 14 wins in his first season with a team since 1950.
• In his lone season with the San Francisco 49ers, appeared in 10 contests with one start, serving as backup quarterback.
• With the Carolina Panthers (2021-22), started 17 of the 18 games he appeared in and recorded 3,670 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Also scored seven touchdowns on the ground, rushing for 328 yards on 74 attempts.
• In three seasons with the New York Jets (2018-20), started all 38 games played and threw for 8,097 yards with 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. Added 417 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries.

HONORS: 2024: NFC Pro Bowl, PFWA Most Improved Player, NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September, NFC Offensive Player of the Week 14; 2019: AFC Offensive Player of the Week 6.

COLLEGE: Played two seasons at USC after redshirting in 2015, appearing in 27 games from 2016-17. Totaled 7,229 passing yards, 57 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. Also ran for 332 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2017, threw for over 4,000 yards and earned MVP honors in the Pac-12 Championship Game win over Stanford, helping the Trojans advance to 2017 Cotton Bowl. Only USC quarterback in history to have back-to-back five passing touchdown games (Arizona and California in 2016). In 2016, ranked ninth nationally in passing efficiency (161.1), 10th in completion percentage (67.2%) and 13th in passing touchdowns (31). Following the 2016 season, was named the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, Rose Bowl Offensive Player of the Game and was the Archie Griffin Award winner, given to college football's most valuable player.

PERSONAL: Went 15-3 as a starter in his three-year prep career at San Clemente High. As a senior, completed 213 of 314 passes (67.8%) for 2,996 yards with 39 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Added 785 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 125 carries. His passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and total yards (3,770) were all single-season school records. Helped San Clemente advance to the 2014 CIF Southwest Division championship game his senior year. Completed 29-of-46 passes (63.0%) for 337 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 322 yards on 35 carries with five touchdowns as a junior in 2013 before he broke his foot in the third game of the season. As a sophomore in 2012, hit 40-of-60 passes (66.7%) for 411 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 143 yards and one touchdown on 37 carries. Also caught nine passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Also played defense as a sophomore, recording 27 tackles, 2.0 sacks, one interception and three passes defensed. Also played baseball and basketball. Father, Mike, played football (guard) at Redlands and mother, Chris, played volleyball at Long Beach City College. Sister, Franki, played volleyball at Rhode Island (2012-15). Grandfather, Dick Hammer, played basketball at USC and was a member of the USA's 1964 Olympic volleyball team. He was also an original Marlboro Man actor and Captain Hammer on the 1970s show Emergency! Grandmother, Betty Hammer, played volleyball (including training with the U.S. National Team) and softball. Uncle, Dan Hammer, played volleyball at Long Beach State (1980-81). His cousin, Allie Hammer, played volleyball at Irvine Valley College (2009-10) and American (2010-11), his cousin, Michele Hammer, played volleyball at Chapman (2012-15) and his cousin, A.J. Hammer, played volleyball at Concordia (2015-17). Majored in communications at USC.