The Los Angeles Rams made easy work of the Minnesota Vikings in Arizona. When the dust settled, the scoreboard read 27-9, and the Vikings’ season was over.
Vikings camp had high hopes for their quarterback, Sam Darnold, who had been exceptional throughout the regular season. However, his poor performance led three-time Super Bowl winner Mark Schlereth to question the involvement of the New York Jets curse.
Sam Darnold’s Dismal Showing Is a Case of the Jets’ QB Curse Argues Mark Schlereth
After Joe Namath ended his career with the Jets, the franchise has failed to field a truly game-changing QB. The quarterbacks almost always seem to miss their mark while playing with the Jets.
This applies whether players have been drafted or acquired via trade. In Darnold’s case, the Jets selected him with the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, after three unsuccessful seasons with the Jets, he bounced around the league.
For many, like Brett Favre, the curse ends when the player leaves the organization. However, on X (formerly Twitter), Schlereth suggested that is not the case for Darnold. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Sam Darnold washed all the Jets off of him,” he tweeted.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Sam Darnold washed all the Jets off of him!
— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) January 14, 2025
After J.J. McCarthy got injured before the season began, Darnold became the No. 1 QB for the Vikings — and he thrived. The 27-year-old threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. However, he could not replicate this success in Minnesota’s Wild Card game.
Against the Rams, Darnold completed 62.5% of his passes, finishing with 245 yards, one TD pass, and one interception.
Darnold’s Cryptic Take on His Future
Before the playoffs, Darnold was expected to command big money following this season. However, after the dismal affair on Monday, that seems unlikely. After the game, the QB talked to the media about his future in a cryptic way.
“Yeah, I mean I’m not worried about that,” Darnold said on whether his performance will affect his future salary. “That’s in the past. Right now, I’m thinking about what I could have done better today and just really spending time with the guys in the locker room. That’s really all I’m focused on right now.”
Darnold signed a one-year deal with the Vikings for $10 million before the start of the season. If the Vikings let his deal expire without an extension in place, the quarterback will once again be on the free agent market.