Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald was asked in an interview if it was possible for anyone else besides QB Sam Darnold to start for the Seahawks at quarterback this season. Macdonald responded that it was a “crazy question.”
“No, you guys are crazy,” he said via Bob Condotta. “I respect you’ve got to ask it but it’s just a crazy question. It’s just not going to happen. Sam’s our starting quarterback.”
Seattle went hard after Darnold in free agency this year after trading QB Geno Smith, signing him to a three-year, $100.5 million contract following his breakout 2024 season with the Vikings.
However, Seattle only guaranteed the first year of the contract — one of the sticking points that led to things breaking down with Smith — and used a third-round pick on QB Jalen Milroe in the draft this year. That’s led to some speculation about Seattle’s commitment to Darnold, especially because his track record before this past year in Minnesota was not good.
Macdonald has previously said they will work on a package to get Milroe on the field but that they don’t see him as a Taysom Hill-style weapon.
Darnold, 27, is a former first-round pick of the Jets back in 2018. He was in the final year of a four-year, $30.370 million rookie contract when he was traded to the Panthers.
Carolina exercised Darnold’s fifth-year option for 2022 after acquiring him from New York. He made a base salary of $18.858 million in 2022 under the option.
Darnold was an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career when he signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the 49ers in 2023. He joined the Vikings this past offseason on another one-year deal.
In 2024, Darnold appeared in all 17 games for the Vikings and completed 66.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He added 67 carries for 212 yards and a touchdown.
We’ll have more on the Seahawks and Darnold as the news is available.
