Super Bowl 2026: Sam Darnold defies ghosts and doubters to leave Seattle Seahawks one win from Super Bowl fairy tale
Watch the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday February 8, with coverage under way at 10pm live on Sky Spots NFL ahead of kick-off at approximately 11.30pm
Monday 26 January 2026 14:16, UK
"Let me say it one more time. Stop. The. Doubt," exclaimed Seattle Seahawks tight AJ Barner, who, of course, was referring to his leader Sam Darnold.
Young, struggling, perhaps written-off quarterbacks across the NFL will have woken up on Monday morning believing more than ever in their chances of making it in this league, no matter how bleak the circumstances, no matter how many times they get knocked back.
Darnold is the quintessential reminder that timing matters, that opportunities will arise, that there is life beyond adversity and that it is never over. Five years ago he looked down and out, nursing the wounds of an ugly chapter in New York and teetering towards journeyman territory.
Come January 2026, he is preparing to play in a Super Bowl.
"He's that guy. All the work that he puts in," Barner told Sky Sports NFL. "He was the third pick in the draft. He does it week in and week out, and we got a team surrounding him that's going to do whatever it takes to win."
- Patriots beat Broncos in near blizzard to clinch Super Bowl spot
- Seahawks beat Rams in thriller to reach Super Bowl
- Got Sky? Watch on the Sky Sports app📱
- Not got Sky? Get instant access with NOW 📺
Darnold spared the game of his life, thus far, for the biggest stage as he threw for a season-high 346 yards and three touchdowns to lead Seattle to a 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game. Mike Macdonald's side will now face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday February 8, live on Sky Sports.
"You can't talk about the game without talking about our quarterback," said first-year head coach Macdonald. "He shut a lot of people up tonight, so I'm really happy for him."
Darnold, who signed a $100.5m deal with the Seahawks during the offseason, was turnover free in a clinical, commanding outing to accompany Macdonald's standout defense in out-duelling MVP favourite Matthew Stafford and his No 1-ranked Rams offense.
Such has been a theme to Seattle's campaign, Darnold's connection with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba fuelled their efforts to the sight of 10 completions for 153 yards and a touchdown. Five of Darnold's seven attempts of 10-plus yards went to the 2023 first-round pick out of Ohio State, who led all receivers with 1,793 yards in the regular season.
"True leader," Smith-Njigba told Sky Sports NFL. "He got the job done. We don't listen to no naysayers or outside noise.
"We know that he's capable of doing great things and more than we can think of. So we're going to ride with Sam, and that's my dog. Whatever he needs, I got him.
"Defense, special teams, offense, who we are as a team, playing for the guy next to us - that's what got us here. That's what's going to get us a ring."
Darnold was the third overall pick out of USC for the New York Jets in 2019, but won just 13 of 25 starts while throwing 39 interceptions across three seasons before being traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021.
He started 11 games in his first campaign with the Panthers before sitting behind Baker Mayfield for much of the 2022 season and eventually signing with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 to serve as backup to Brock Purdy on their journey to Super Bowl LVIII, where Kyle Shanahan's side were beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs.
His resurgence officially began in 2024 when Darnold signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings, initially arriving as backup to JJ McCarthy before starting for the entire season after the first-round pick was injured in the preseason. Darnold flourished under head coach Kevin O'Connell to guide the Vikings to the playoffs with a 14-3 record as one of the stories of the season, but was sacked nine times in a 27-9 defeat to the Rams on his postseason debut.
Minnesota would subsequently put their faith in McCarthy upon his return from injury, Darnold instead earning his pay-day in Seattle, who look like the major winners of that decision.
"I think just his poise, his resilience," said Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams. "He's shown it throughout his whole career. He's shown it throughout the season.
"The whole team and coaching staff believe in him. I don't know how he still has doubters, but keep doubting him. He keeps proving them wrong."
Darnold had famously been heard saying he was "seeing ghosts" on the sideline in a 33-0 defeat to the Patriots during his second season with the Jets. How things have changed.
"I almost forgot about it, so thanks," laughed Darnold after Sunday's game. "I think for me, there was a lot that I didn't know back then, so I'm just going to continue to learn and grow in this great game.
"There is a lot of stuff that I can get better from today even. I feel like I missed some throws out there that I shouldn't miss. There were some things offensively that I feel like we can do better. So, we're always looking to get better. I'm always looking to get better.
"That's the great part about this game is you win a NFC championship and you win games throughout the season, but there is always ways that you can look to get better."
For all his efforts in leading Seattle this far, Darnold has continued to face questions over his ability to strap a team to his back and win decisive moments as a Championship quarterback might. The presence of the league's stingiest defense tends to contribute to as much; Darnold barely needed to come out of second gear as he threw for just 124 yards and a touchdown in his side's 41-6 Divisional Round win over the 49ers.
How fitting it would be that he saw to burying those suggestions against a Rams team that tormented him in the playoffs this time last year.
"We love Sam," safety Julian Love told Sky Sports. "He's special. He got a bad rap early in his career on a bad team - this is not that.
"He shows up. He works hard. He gets in early. He leaves late. He's a good teammate. He's a good leader for us. We have Sam's back to the fullest."
Darnold became just the second quarterback behind Tom Brady to post back-to-back 14-win seasons this year.
He now takes on MVP finalist Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl 49, which ended in Malcolm Butler's famous goalline interception of Russell Wilson at the end of the 2014 season.
"I've seen what I've been seeing since college," Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu told Sky Sports NFL. "He was my college quarterback. I've known Sam since we was 17 or 18 years old.
"Everything he's doing, I've seen him do a million times, so there was no doubt of anybody in our team, definitely not in my mind, and Sam showed what he's been showing for years.
"They shouldn't be doubting him. He's been doing this. Sam just doesn't care about that. He just goes about his business, does the same thing every day, and he is who he is."
Watch the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday February 8, with coverage under way at 10pm live on Sky Spots NFL ahead of kick-off at approximately 11.30pm.
