Sam Darnold: Grateful for time with Vikings, excited to keep building with Seahawks

The Seahawks hosted the Vikings last season and they'd love for quarterback Sam Darnold to repeat his performance from that game when the Vikings visit Seattle this Sunday.

Darnold threw three touchdowns in a winning effort in that game, but there is one significant difference this time around. Darnold was piloting the Vikings offense in December 2024 and he's now the centerpiece of the Seahawks' attack.

That game likely helped pique Seattle's interest in signing Darnold as a free agent and Darnold's overall work with the Vikings in his one year as their starter revitalized what was starting to look like a journeyman career. Darnold said on Friday that he appreciates his time in Minnesota while keeping his focus on his current team.

"I'm very grateful for the time that I spent there," Darnold said, via the team's website. "All the people that I created relationships with, all the people in that locker room, all the coaches there, the people in that building, but I am very excited to be here and to continue doing what we're doing this year."

Darnold's Vikings tenure ended with him struggling in back-to-back losses in Week 18 and the wild card round of the playoffs. Given how things have played out with J.J. McCarthy this year, some with the Vikings might want a mulligan on letting Darnold leave and that feeling will only grow if he is able to replicate what he did in last year's meeting of the teams.