Story by
It’s Time to Admit the Vikings Got It Wrong on You Know Who
- Story by
- It’s Time to Admit the Vikings Got It Wrong on You Know Who
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
While the process may have been well-intended and the finances made sense, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold proved Sunday night beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Minnesota Vikings bungled the quarterback decision-making in the 2025 offseason.
Darnold's playoff run in Seattle turned Minnesota's choice into a loud second guess, with the Vikings wearing every ounce of it.
Advertisement
Even if Darnold capitulates in the Super Bowl, he's personally gotten farther than the Vikings have in almost 50 years,
Minnesota's Quarterback Call Ages Poorly
Yes, Minnesota got it all wrong. Very, very wrong.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold stands along the sideline during pregame moments, shown Jan 25, 2026, at Lumen Field in Seattle before the NFC Championship Game. The image captures a composed Darnold surveying the environment ahead of the season's biggest stage, with focus and anticipation evident as the Seahawks prepared to face the Rams. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Darnold Cooks in the NFC Championship
Darnold delivered 346 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and no turnovers on Sunday evening, as his Seahawks advanced to Super Bowl LX, where they'll meet Drake Maye 's New England Patriots . Darnold did it.
SI.com 's Ryan Phillips wrote Sunday, " Sam Darnold has his redemption story. On Sunday, Darnold led the Seahawks to a 31–27 win over the Rams in the NFC championship game, clinching a spot in Super Bowl LX. The 28-year-old quarterback is now with his fifth NFL team and has led them to the big game. It was a remarkable season for Darnold."
Advertisement
"After leading the Vikings to a 14–3 record in 2024, they decided to let him walk and handed the reins of the franchise over to J.J. McCarthy . Darnold's poor performance in a 27–9 wild-card round loss to the Rams may have helped make up Minnesota's mind. Like three other NFL franchises before them, the Vikings decided to let Darnold go rather than continue to rely on him."
There's no sugarcoating it: this is an awful look for the Vikings and utter absolution for Darnold.
The Vikings Were a Quarterback Away from Contention
Per dropback EPA/Play in 2025 — basically quarterback efficiency — the Vikings ranked 28th in the NFL this season. Fifth-worst. A team with such poor quarterbacking probably finished with a losing record and is eyeing a Top 10 draft pick, right? Nope.
Advertisement
Minnesota finished 9-8 despite bottom-rung quarterback performance sponsored by J.J. McCarthy , Max Brosmer , and to a degree, Carson Wentz .
It's a sad realization that the Vikings were a "Sam Darnold away" from competing for a Super Bowl . The defense ranked third-best in the NFL per the same EPA/Play metric. Darnold might have personally added a few more wins, placing Minnesota in the postseason tournament.
While the Vikings may have found a way to collapse in the playoffs — they usually do — re-upping with Darnold would've ensured a postseason trip, which was not the case with McCarthy, Brosmer, and Wentz.
Faulty Logic … from Everybody
Advertisement
So, what happened? Well, the reality probably involved finances. The Seahawks offered Darnold more than the Vikings, and that was that. Minnesota preferred to build out the trenches rather than re-sign Darnold for $100.5 million over three years, and signed guard Will Fries and defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave . On paper, that seemed wise.
Now, however, as Darnold has led Seattle to the Super Bowl, even if the Seahawks' defense is the main driver. paying $33 million per year would have been worth the squeeze.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold hoists the conference trophy in celebration after the final whistle, photographed Jan 25, 2026, on the podium at Lumen Field in Seattle. The moment reflects a breakthrough victory over Los Angeles, with Darnold at the center of the postgame scene following a defining playoff performance. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Unfortunately, this website employed faulty logic. It wasn't exclusive, but the idea that Darnold would always choke in big games because he did so in 2024 just wasn't accurate — or fair. Make no mistake: Darnold played like trash last season in Week 18 and in the postseason when Minnesota needed him the most, but he evidently wasn't destined to choke in all clutch moments.
Advertisement
The Seahawks brushed that paranoia to the side. They're now Super Bowl-bound for their faith.
The Only Saving Grace(s)?
The Vikings have two options to salvage the current Darnold-themed public relations spectacle.
First, they can swing for the fences and trade for a heavy-hitter at quarterback like Joe Burrow , Lamar Jackson , or Kyler Murray . If Burrow, Jackson, or Murray arrived in the Twin Cities and immediately thrived, few would care about the Darnold fiasco.
Second, J.J. McCarthy holds the realistic key. Suppose he puts his injury resume in the past and turns the corner into a Top 10 quarterback who stays with the Vikings for a decade-plus. That would squash the Darnold controversy. It's just unclear whether either McCarthy scenario will play out.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold reacts on the field after the conclusion of a home matchup, pictured Sep 15, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The shot captures an emotional postgame moment as Darnold processed the outcome against San Francisco, offering a snapshot of his early tenure with Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
It's also worth noting that this is a familiar spot for Minnesota throughout its history. The rookie quarterback didn't work out, so let's go sign a seasoned veteran this time. That strategy has never netted a Super Bowl. Minnesota owes it to itself to stick with McCarthy, draft another quarterback, or explore the splashy trade idea for a player like Burrow.
Advertisement
The next step is to hope the Vikings' 2026 quarterback plays as well as 2025 Darnold.
The Vikings, this website, and a large faction of Vikings fans got the Darnold synopsis wrong. He was never destined to be a choke artist forever.
