How Sam Darnold came to Seahawks after stints with Jets, Panthers, 49ers, Vikings

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How Sam Darnold came to Seahawks after stints with Jets, Panthers, 49ers, Vikings

How Sam Darnold came to Seahawks after stints with Jets, Panthers, 49ers, Vikings

Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sun, Feb 8, 2026 ·

9 min read

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After three seasons with Geno Smith as the team's top quarterback, the Seattle Seahawks made a critical change during the 2025 NFL offseason.

Seattle traded Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round draft pick. To replace him, the Seahawks signed another journeyman, inking a three-year deal with Sam Darnold to be the team's next quarterback.

Few knew exactly what to make of Darnold signing with the Seahawks. He was coming off the best season of his career with the Minnesota Vikings , but many wondered whether he would be a one-year wonder after struggling late in the season.

The Seahawks were undeterred by Darnold's late-season struggles or the fact he was joining his fourth team in as many seasons. Seattle's faith was rewarded by another strong season from Darnold and a trip to Super Bowl 60 under his leadership.

Darnold's performance and efficiency have led many to wonder exactly why teams in the quarterback doldrums – the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers – or the Minnesota Vikings , who reached impressive heights with him as their starter in 2024, would move on from a player of his caliber.

Here's why the Jets, Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and Vikings parted with Darnold and ultimately led him to his current perch with the Seahawks.

Super Bowl I (Packers 35, Chiefs 10): Green Bay Packers running back Jim Taylor (31) follows the blocks of Jerry Kramer (64), Marv Fleming (81) and Forrest Gregg (75) against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl II (Packers 33, Raiders 14): Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr (15) drops back to pass against the Oakland Raiders at the Orange Bowl.
(Dick Raphael, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl III (Jets 16, Colts 7): New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath (12) looks to throw as Baltimore Colts linebacker Dennis Gaubatz (53) applies pressure during Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl.
(Darryl Norenberg, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl IV (Chiefs 23, Vikings 7): Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Buck Buchanan (86) tackles Minnesota Vikings running back Dave Osborn (41) during Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium.
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl V (Colts 16, Cowboys 13): Baltimore Colts running back Norm Bulaich (36) eludes Dallas Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan (55) during Super Bowl V at the Orange Bowl.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl VI (Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3): Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas (33) carries the football against the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl VII (Dolphins 14, Washington 7): Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Manny Fernandez (75) tackles Washington running back Larry Brown (43) in Super Bowl VII at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Dolphins completed a 17-0 undefeated season with the win.

(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl VIII (Dolphins 24, Vikings 7): Miami Dolphins running back Larry Csonka (39) scores on a 5-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings during Super Bowl VIII at Rice Stadium.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl IX (Steelers 16, Vikings 6): Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Dwight White (78) and linebacker Jack Lambert (58) stop Minnesota Vikings running back Dave Osborn (41) during Super Bowl IX at Tulane Stadium.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl X (Steelers 21, Cowboys 17): Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris (32) run against the Dallas Cowboys during Super Bowl X at the Orange Bowl.
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XI (Raiders 32, Vikings 14): Oakland Raiders running back Clarence Davis (28) carries the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI at the Rose Bowl. Davis rushed for 137 yards in Oakland's win.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XII (Cowboys 27, Broncos 10): Dallas Cowboys defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones (72) sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Craig Morton (7) during Super Bowl XII at the Superdome.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XIII (Steelers 35, Cowboys 31): Dallas Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith (81) reacts to dropping a potential touchdown pass in the end zone during Super Bowl XIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XIV (Steelers 31, Rams 19): Pittsburgh Steelers receiver John Stallworth (82) catches a 73-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at the Rose Bowl.
(Darryl Norenberg, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XV (Raiders 27, Eagles 10): Oakland Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett (16) looks to throw against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XV at the Superdome.
(Manny Rubio, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XVI (49ers 26, Bengals 21): San Francisco 49ers defensive back Ronnie Lott (42) celebrates a goal line stand against the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl XVI at the Silverdome.

(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XVII (Washington 27, Dolphins 17): Washington running back John Riggins (44) breaks loose from Miami Dolphins defensive back Don McNeal (28) on a 43-yard touchdown run during Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl.

(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XVIII (Raiders 38, Washington 9): Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (32) carries the ball against Washington safety Mark Murphy (29) during Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium.

(Manny Rubio, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XIX (49ers 38, Dolphins 16): San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig carries the ball past Miami Dolphins linebacker Jay Brophy (53) in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XX (Bears 46, Patriots 10): Chicago Bears linebacker Otis Wilson (55) hits New England Patriots quarterback Tony Eason (11) during Super Bowl XX at the Superdome.
(Malcolm Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XXI (Giants 39, Broncos 20): New York Giants running back Joe Morris (20) carries the ball against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XXI at the Rose Bowl.
(Bob Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXII (Washington 42, Broncos 10): Washington quarterback Doug Williams (17) looks to throw against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XXII at Jack Murphy Stadium.

(Manny Rubio, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXIII (49ers 20, Bengals 16): Over 11 plays, the San Francisco 49ers drove 92 yards to secure a narrow victory. Pictured above is wide receiver and game MVP Jerry Rice.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XXIV (49ers 55, Broncos 10) : San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (33) celebrates with teammates against the Denver Broncos at the Superdome. The 55 points scored by the 49ers remains a Super Bowl record.

(USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXV (Giants 20, Bills 19): New York Giants running back Ottis Anderson (24) carries the ball against the Buffalo in Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium.
(Frank Becerra Jr., The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Super Bowl XXVI (Washington 37, Bills 24): Washington cornerback Alvoid Mays (20) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly (12), causing him to fumble during Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome.

(US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XXVII (Cowboys 52, Bills 17): Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin (88) celebrates in the end zone after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl.
(Manny Rubio, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXVIII (Cowboys 30, Bills 13): Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith (22) carries the ball against the Buffalo Bills during Super Bowl XXVIII at the Georgia Dome.
(James D. Smith, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXIX (49ers 49, Chargers 26): San Francisco 49ers running back Ricky Watters (32) carries the ball against San Diego Chargers safety Stanley Richard (24) during Super Bowl XXIX at Joe Robbie Stadium.
(RVR Photos, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXX (Cowboys 27, Steelers 17): Dallas Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown (24) runs with the ball after an interception at Sun Devil Stadium. Brown had two interceptions and was named game MVP as the Cowboys won their third Super Bowl in four seasons.
(The Arizona Republic)

Super Bowl XXXI (Packers 35, Patriots 21): Green Bay Packers return specialist Desmond Howard eludes the grasp of the New England Patriots on his way to a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown during the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXI at the Superdome.
(Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK)

Super Bowl XXXII (Broncos 31, Packers 24): Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos in action during Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Davis scored three TDs and was named MVP.
(JEFF HAYNES, AFP via Getty Images)

Super Bowl XXXIII (Broncos 34, Falcons 19): Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway (7) attempts to avoid Atlanta Falcons linebacker Cornelius Bennett at Dolphin Stadium.
(RVR Photos, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XXXIV (Rams 23, Titans 16): Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson tries to stretch across the goal line on the final play of the game. He is stopped by Rams linebacker Mike Jones.
(Eric Parsons, The Tennessean)

Super Bowl XXXV (Ravens 34, Giants 7): Baltimore Ravens defensive end Rob Bunett (90) celebrates after sacking New York Giants quarterback Kerry Collins (5) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Ravens registered four sacks and four interceptions in the dominant defensive performance.
(PETER MUHLY, AFP via Getty Images)

Super Bowl XXXVI (Patriots 20, Rams 17): New England Patriots players Rod Rutledge (83), Ken Walter (13) and Adam Vinatieri (4) celebrate Vinatieri's game-winning field goal against the St. Louis Rams to win Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome.
(Glenn Osmundson, Providence Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK)

Super Bowl XXXVII (Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21): Tampa Bay's Dwight Smith races into the end zone ahead of pursuing Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon on a 44-yard interception runback for a touchdown.
(JACK GRUBER, USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Super Bowl XXXVIII (Patriots 32, Panthers 29): Game MVP Tom Brady throws a pass as he is pressured by Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers (90) at Reliant Stadium.
(MPS-US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XXXIX (Patriots 24, Eagles 21): Wide receiver Deion Branch catches a pass in front of the Philadelphia Eagles' Sheldon Brown (24)during the second quarter at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Branch had 11 catches for 133 yards and was named the game's MVP.
(Jeff Gross, Getty Images)

Super Bowl XL (Steelers 21, Seahawks 10): Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward jumps in the air and scores after catching a 43-yard touchdown pass from fellow wideout Antwaan Randle El.

(Allen Kee/Getty Images/NFL)

Super Bowl XLI (Indianapolis Colts 29, Bears 17): Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders (21) intercepts a ball intended for Chicago Bears receiver Bernard Berrian (80) during the second half at Dolphins Stadium.
(Jason Parkhurst, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XLII (Giants 17, Patriots 14): New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree hauls in a catch against his helmet to sustain the game-winning drive.
(John David Mercer, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XLIII (Steelers 27, Cardinals 23): Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes catches the winning touchdown pass in front of Arizona Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco late in the fourth quarter.
(Matt Cashore, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XLIV (Saints 31, Colts 17): New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter (22) celebrates as he returns an interception for a touchdown as Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning looks on from the ground during the fourth quarter at Sun Life Stadium.
(Mark J. Rebilas, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XLV (Packers 31, Steelers 25): Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall (34) fumbles after being hit by Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (52) during the second half of Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium.
(Matthew Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XLVI (Giants 21, Patriots 17): New York Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham (82) makes a catch along the sideline in front of New England Patriots free safety Sterling Moore (29) and free safety Patrick Chung (25) during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Kirby Lee, US PRESSWIRE)

Super Bowl XLVII (Ravens 34, 49ers 31): Baltimore Ravens return specialist Jacoby Jones (12) returns a kickoff for a Super Bowl record 108 yards against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XLVIII (Seahawks 43, Broncos 8): Seattle Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith (53) returns an interception for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium.
(Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl XLIX (Patriots 28, Seahawks 24): Patriots CB Malcolm Butler (21) intercepts a pass intended for Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette at the goal line to secure New England's fourth title in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 50 (Broncos 24, Panthers 10): Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller (58) forces a fumble as he hits Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 51 (Patriots 34, Falcons 28 - OT): New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman hauls in a catch off a deflected pass that would help New England mount the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. The game also featured the first ever overtime in a Super Bowl.

(Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 52 (Eagles 41, Patriots 33): Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) catches a touchdown pass against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 53 (Patriots 13, Rams 3): Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore makes a pivotal interception in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With the win, the Patriots tied the Steelers for most Super Bowl victories (six).

(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 55 (Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9): Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski spikes the football after catching a touchdown pass during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium.

(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 56 (Rams 23, Bengals 20): Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp catches the game-winning touchdown pass as Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple defends at SoFi Stadium.

(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 57 (Chiefs 38, Eagles 35): The Chiefs' Kadarius Toney (19) is tackled by the Philadelphia Eagles' Nakobe Dean (17) and Arryn Siposs (8) after a Super Bowl-record 65-yard punt return at State Farm Stadium.

(Michael Chow, The Republic)

Super Bowl 58 (Chiefs 25, 49ers 22, OT): Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. (12) celebrates with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers.

(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)

Super Bowl 59 (Eagles 40, Chiefs 22): Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) makes a touchdown catch against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

Super Bowl 60 (Seahawks 29, Patriots 13): Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills sacks Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. The Seahawks defense sacked Maye six times in a 29-13 victory.

(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)

How long has Sam Darnold been in the NFL?

Darnold has played eight NFL seasons to date. The 28-year-old was a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft and was just 21 years old during his rookie season.

To date, Darnold has played in 100 regular-season NFL games with 90 starts. Super Bowl 60 will mark his fourth-ever playoff start, and all of them have come within the last two seasons.

How many teams has Sam Darnold played for?

Darnold has played for five different teams during his eight-year NFL career. He started his career with the New York Jets before being traded to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 NFL season.

Darnold has spent the last four seasons with four different teams. He was with the Panthers in 2022 before playing for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 and finally finding a long-term home with the Seattle Seahawks in 2025.

Sam Darnold career timeline

New York Jets (2018-20)

Darnold was selected by the Jets with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft after enjoying a standout college career at USC. He was the second of five quarterbacks chosen in the first round that year, behind Baker Mayfield and ahead of Josh Allen , Josh Rosen and Lamar Jackson .

Darnold endured a rocky three seasons with the Jets. As a rookie, he became the youngest Week 1 starter (21 years, 91 days) since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and endured an up-and-down campaign. He led the Jets to just a 4-9 record and completed just 57.7% of his passes for 2,865 yards, 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Darnold never showed significant improvement with the Jets and enduring a particularly trying 2019 season. He missed three of the team's first four games because of a bout with mononucleosis before enduring the worst game of his career Week 7.

Darnold completed just 11 of 32 passes for 86 yards and four interceptions against the New England Patriots . He famously acknowledged he was "seeing ghosts" while mic'd up for "Monday Night Football," and that became one of the low points of his career.

Darnold shaped up over the second half of his second season, leading the Jets to a 7-6 record in his 13 starts, but the wheels fell off for him in 2020. The Jets went just 2-10 with him at quarterback, as he threw more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (9) across his 12 starts.

The Jets finished the 2020 season with a 2-14 record. They earned the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, fired coach Adam Gase after two disastrous seasons and brought in Robert Saleh to be the team's new head coach.

Entering his fourth NFL season, the Jets were also faced with a decision as to whether or not they'd pick up Darnold's fifth-year option that offseason, further complicating the Jets' future plans at passer and forcing them into a situation to take on additional risk if he continued to scuffle.

All of that, plus Darnold's 13-25 record across three seasons with the team, prompted the Jets to plan a change at quarterback. They traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers in early April of 2021 for three draft picks before spending their top draft pick on Zach Wilson .

"I want to publicly acknowledge the commitment, dedication, and professionalism Sam displayed while with the Jets. He is a tough-minded, talented football player whose NFL story has not been written yet," then-Jets general manager Joe Douglas said in a statement . "While all these things are true, this move is in the short- and long-term best interests for both this team and him. We thank Sam for all of his work on behalf of this organization and wish him well as he continues his career."

Darnold ended his time with the Jets having completed 59.8% of his passes for 8,097 yards, 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions across 38 games (all starts).

Carolina Panthers (2021-22)

Darnold entered the 2021 NFL season as Carolina's starting quarterback. He earned a victory over the Jets in Week 1, completing 24 of 35 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown in the 19-14 win.

From there, turnovers and injuries once again became a bugaboo for Darnold. He tossed 13 interceptions and just nine touchdowns across 12 games (11 starts) and missed five games because of a shoulder injury.

Darnold's poor performance prompted the Panthers to trade for Baker Mayfield to create more competition at quarterback ahead of the 2022 season. Mayfield won the team's starting job and a preseason ankle injury forced Darnold to miss the start of the regular season.

Upon Darnold's return in November, PJ Walker had emerged as the starter. Darnold eventually replaced him and put together a strong, six-game stretch to close the season. He completed 58.6% of his passes for 1,143 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions while posting a 4-2 record.

Darnold was set to be a free agent after the 2022 NFL season. The Panthers decided not to retain him after trading up for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, where they selected Bryce Young to be the team's starting quarterback.

San Francisco 49ers (2023)

The 49ers inked Darnold to a one-year deal in free agency to add depth at the quarterback position. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was complimentary of Darnold after he landed with the organization.

"Sam has as good of a skill set as there is," Shanahan said, per ESPN . "That's why he was the third pick of the draft. … I don't think he's always been in the best situations, which is tough for quarterbacks."

Darnold also acknowledged "being in a really good organization was a priority," which made the 49ers a natural fit.

Darnold was able to beat Trey Lance – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft – out for the backup job behind Brock Purdy .

Darnold only made one start in 2023 in relief of Purdy. He completed 28 of 46 passes (60.8%) for 297 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in his limited action, but credited his year with the organization as being a big help in his development.

"It was huge," Darnold said about his 49ers stint ahead of his 2024 season with the Vikings, per NBC Sports Bay Area . "Just being able to learn how they do things over there, not only schematically, but as an organization. It was great to be a part of [it] for a year. The season we had last year was amazing to be a part of."

Darnold went to the Super Bowl during his lone season with the 49ers, serving as Purdy's backup in San Francisco's 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs .

Minnesota Vikings (2024)

Darnold became a free agent again after his one-year pact with the 49ers expired. He received renewed interest as a potential starter and eventually signed another one-year deal, this time to play for the Vikings.

The Vikings also spent a 2024 first-round pick on J.J. McCarthy , so Darnold was expected to be a bridge quarterback. That said, he enjoyed a stellar year in Kevin O'Connell's offense, completing a career-best 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record.

While Darnold played well enough to make the Pro Bowl, his final two games with the Vikings left a bit to be desired. He combined to complete 43 of 81 passes for 411 yards, one touchdown and one interception while absorbing a whopping 11 sacks in two critical losses against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams .

The Vikings ultimately decided to move on from Darnold during the offseason. The idea was to give McCarthy – who missed his entire rookie season because of a knee injury – a chance to prove himself as a starter while allocating the resources that would have been spent on Darnold to other areas of needs on the roster.

After McCarthy struggled during his first year as a starter in 2025, and Darnold made the Super Bowl with the Seahawks, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was left reckoning with that decision just weeks before being fired.

"There are nights you wake up and stare at the ceiling and ask yourself (about the decisions you make),""Adofo-Mensah said, per The Athletic . "I always go back to the process and what we thought at the time. It's easy to go and be revisionist and be results-based. I still understand why we did what we did. The results maybe didn't play out the way we wanted them to."

Seattle Seahawks

After his career year with the Vikings, Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks in free agency. He quickly picked up where he left off in Minnesota, proving to be a natural fit in Klint Kubiak's offense and quickly building chemistry with Jaxon Smith-Njigba to create an efficient offense.

Darnold once again was a Pro Bowler, logged his second consecutive 4,000-yard season and joined Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to win 14 games in back-to-back seasons.

Now, he will look to cap off his dream season in Seattle with a Super Bowl 60 victory.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sam Darnold career timeline: Why Jets, Vikings, more let QB walk

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How long has Sam Darnold been in the NFL?

How many teams has Sam Darnold played for?

Sam Darnold career timeline

New York Jets (2018-20)

Carolina Panthers (2021-22)

San Francisco 49ers (2023)

Minnesota Vikings (2024)

Seattle Seahawks