While the Minnesota Vikings are on their way to their second losing season in the last three years, the team's 2024 starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, has been enjoying his first season as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
Thanks in part to Darnold, the Seahawks currently have an 8-3 record, and they still have a good chance to end the regular season as the top seed in the NFC.
This weekend, the Vikings will travel to Seattle and attempt to prevent their former quarterback from leading his current team to another win. On Friday, Darnold reflected on his time in Minnesota and shared what it meant to him.
"I'm very grateful for the time that I spent there, 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.”
Sam Darnold keeps quiet about possibly remaining with the Minnesota Vikings instead of signing with the Seattle Seahawks
After sharing his appreciation for the Vikings and what they helped him accomplish last season, Darnold was asked if re-signing with Minnesota was actually a "viable option" earlier this year.
The current Seahawks quarterback kept his lips about as sealed as he possibly could with his repsonse.
"I think for me it was just understanding kind of what was being talked about, just in terms of behind closed doors with the people over there and my people.
But at the end of the day, I made the decision to come here and I'm very, very happy about that decision and excited to continue to work the way that we've been working here and continue to build the relationships in that locker room and with the coaching staff here.”
Based on everything that has happened since that decision was made this past offseason, it was clearly the right one for Darnold and Seattle.
The Seahawks have been enjoying the veteran quarterback's continued success this year, while Minnesota's current signal-caller situation is a borderline disaster as they are now preparing to start an undrafted rookie under center on Sunday in Seattle.
Darnold did a good job on Friday of not making this weekend's game seem different than any other matchup. But behind closed doors, one can assume he'll be a little extra motivated on Sunday to get a win over a team that let him walk out the door right after leading them to a 14-win campaign.