It takes a lot and serious dedication to rebuild a career. For former top-three pick in quarterback Sam Darnold, it seems like his comeback might not re-emerge.
After some time with the San Francisco 49ers and now in his first year with the Minnesota Vikings (11-2), Darnold is having the best year of his career, and it has Vikings fans wanting more.
The Vikings are on a six-game win streak after two tough consecutive losses to the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. Darnold continues to impress as he threw for over 340 yards and five touchdowns at home against the Atlanta Falcons, led by former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Darnold’s emergence is certainly a surprise to many after coming to Minnesota to be a one-year-only bridge quarterback to rookie J.J. McCarthy. Those plans changed when McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in training camp.
Jefferson on emerging Sam Darnold
For many in the Vikings building, it didn’t surprise them to see Darnold to accomplish this. They knew Darnold had the talent, he just needed the confidence.
On Thursday, wide receiver Justin Jefferson talked about the emerging confidence in Darnold on the Rich Eisen Show.
Jefferson said: “He’s definitely different. I would he is just more comfortable in this building with the guys we have. Of course, just getting used to the different players that we have on the offensive side of the ball.
“Just him being a leader, him being a confident quarterback going out there with the weapons that he has in the huddle.
“He’s just poised, he’s just comfortable back there and it shows seeing how he works in the pocket, how he moves, how he’s extending the plays. So he’s definitely getting used to and getting comfortable with this offense.”
Darnold excelling in pressure this season
This year has been a defining season for Darnold, who hasn’t had the success he had previously with the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers. It has been a tough go for Darnold as it shows he wasn’t good enough to lead the teams past the mediocrity they created.
With the Vikings, Darnold has redeemed himself with his efficient playmaking on the field and his ability to play well under pressure. He has only three games this season, and he finished with a QBR under 50. One of those games was in the 31-29 home loss to the Lions where he threw one interception and only five incompletions.
Sunday was a big moment for not only the Vikings with their former quarterback coming back with a new team, but also for Darnold. More eyes were on him at home as fans wanted to see him play better than Cousins out of comparison, and in some honesty, spite.
Darnold may have had his best game of the season by completing 22-of-28 of his passes for 347 yards, five touchdowns, a quarterback rating of 157.9 and a QBR of 84.2. Darnold not only played great under pressure, he did it with all eyes watching him.
Jefferson talked about Darnold’s poise and his showdown with Cousins: “I see it as a competitive spirit. He sees the other quarterback that was just with us the previous year. He’s been doing pretty good on that side in Atlanta. For him coming back to Minnesota, the fans, the players everybody that’s just filled with that juice and that excitement.
“Playing a quarterback that was just with us, for him to be as comfortable as he was. Setting his career high with the five touchdowns, over 300 yards, only incompleting like six passes, he definitely had a great game from the start of the game to the end of the game.
“Of course, there’s sometimes where we need to do a little bit better. From an overall look of the game, he definitely very comfortable, very confident going out there and throwing the rock.”
