A Decade With Sam Darnold For Seahawks? One Hall of Fame QB Thinks So

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) gestures during the second quarter in Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn [/caption]

‍Years from now, many will look back on the offseason where the Seattle Seahawks moved on from Geno Smith and signed free agent Sam Darnold to a three-year deal as one of the most gutsy and pendulum-swinging moves in NFL history. Seattle already had a solid roster and the right head coach in place. Smith had a few good seasons in Seattle but the Seahawks needed a new level of quarterback play.

‍Darnold had just finished a stellar 14-3 season with the Vikings, experiencing a career renaissance under head coach Kevin O’Connell. Unfortunately, things ended abruptly with an ugly playoff loss. Many thought that wherever Darnold went, it wouldn’t be as good as he had it in Minnesota with the offensive guru at head coach and all-world receiver Justin Jefferson at the other end of his throws.

‍Fast forward to this offseason. After just one year in Seattle, Darnold will never have to buy a drink in the Emerald City ever again. He is the toast of the town. He was named to his second straight Pro Bowl but more importantly, he once again went 14-3 as a starter. This time, he busted those ghosts in the playoffs. He was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the entire postseason, including going blow-for-blow with the league MVP Matthew Stafford in the NFC Championship Game.

‍While he was not Superman in the Super Bowl against the Patriots, the Seahawks did not need him to be. The defense was the star of the show, with Darnold playing an excellent supporting role. All with a smile on his face and a selfless approach that his teammates adore.Now, people can say whatever they want about Darnold. However, they also are required to call him “Super Bowl champion.”

‍Another former Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young weighed in on The Rich Eisen Show following the Super Bowl victory.

“I think (Sam Darnold) is just going to continue to improve. And somebody I think the Seahawks have for the next 10 years.”

The next 10 years? That’s quite a statement. This is the same quarterback who was a backup for parts of three seasons after failing as the third overall pick of the Jets in 2018. When you look at it closer, it doesn’t seem like such a wild, farfetched answer. First, Darnold only just turned 29 years old. That is younger than Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and is barely a year older than the likes of Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.

Certainly, if Steve Young’s declaration were to come true, several more contract negotiations with Darnold and the Seahawks will need to take place. Perhaps one is coming as soon as later this year. Is Young’s statement meant to be taken literally? As in, Darnold will be the starting quarterback for the next nine years in Seattle? Perhaps not. It might have been more of an expression of how confident the Seahawks should feel about him being their guy for the foreseeable future.

Still, Darnold was a No. 3 overall pick in 2018 for a season. He came out as a young, hotshot signal caller from USC, barely 21 years old. Since then, he has gone from the shiny prospect from a blue blood college to grizzled veteran who has seen a thing or two in battle. And that’s a good thing. It does seem like Darnold is barely figuring out his true potential in the NFL. Plus, he has a great head on his shoulders. It’s never about him. It’s never about his stats. It’s about the team. The team loves him. Everyone saw how fiercely Ernest Jones defended him after the loss to the Rams mid-season. The Seahawks never lost again.

‍That kind of mentality usually ages very well. Along with a rocket arm and a drive to always be better. That’s the type of profile that can play quarterback in the NFL well into his 30s. Will Darnold be the Seahawks’ franchise quarterback for an entire decade? The likeliest answer is no. However, he’s an eight-year NFL veteran and now Super Bowl champion who still feels like he is somehow just getting started.