Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has expressed support for the Minnesota Vikings' decision to move on from him after the 2024 season.
Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and an NFC North title, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.
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Despite that, the team allowed him to leave in free agency to prioritize first-round pick J. J.
McCarthy.
The decision drew criticism when McCarthy struggled in his second year and the Vikings missed the playoffs, leading to the dismissal of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Meanwhile, Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Seattle and won the Super Bowl in his first season.
“I totally understand the move to go with the younger quarterback on a rookie deal,” Darnold said on The San Clemente Podcast.
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He noted that the business side of the NFL makes the choice logical given the investment in a rookie signal-caller.
“Yeah, the business side of it, I totally understand. And like, I think J.
J. is a good player.
I think he’s going to be a really good player in this league. I truly believe that,” Darnold stated.
According to nbcsports. com, the Vikings initially tried to sign Daniel Jones, but he joined the Indianapolis Colts.
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Minnesota eventually signed Kyler Murray, who will compete with McCarthy for the starting role in 2026.
