Sam Darnold, Seahawks QB, gets first Super Bowl shot Feb. 8 in Santa Clara

Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California, with the game airing live on NBC and Peacock; the Patriots are expected to start second-year quarterback Drake Maye, while Darnold will make his first Super Bowl start for Seattle.

Darnold, in his first season as the Seahawks’ starter, has been credited with silencing doubters after a long, stop-start career. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald praised him after Seattle’s NFC Championship win over the Los Angeles Rams, saying, “You can’t talk about the game without talking about our quarterback” and “He shut a lot of people up tonight, so I’m really happy for him.” Darnold’s NFL journey began at USC and continued when he was picked third overall by the New York Jets in 2018.

He later spent time with the Carolina Panthers, where injuries and competition limited his role, was Brock Purdy’s backup on the 49ers’ run to the 2023 Super Bowl, and then signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, when he posted more than 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns and made his first Pro Bowl.

After the 2024 season Darnold signed a three-year deal with Seattle. With help from receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a top defense, the Seahawks finished the 2025 regular season as the NFC’s top seed.

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