Sam Darnold’s playoff debut went as bad as anyone could have imagined. The Minnesota Vikings lost 27-9 to the Los Angeles Rams, and the NFC North team, which went 14-3 in the regular season, was eliminated in the Wild Card Round.
Darnold will be a free agent after the season, and based on his performance in the regular season, he was expected to get a lucrative deal in the NFL‘s free agency period. However, his disappointing performances in the last two games have seemingly cost the Vikings quarterback a significant amount of money, and the fans believe the same.
Fans React to Sam Darnold’s Performance vs. Rams
Darnold completed 62.5% of his throws against the Rams for 245 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He had a passer rating of 77.6 and was sacked nine times, including one strip-sack, which ended up in Jared Verse scoring a touchdown for Los Angeles’ defense.
The Vikings won the time-of-possession battle, as they had the ball for 32 minutes and 18 seconds, compared to the Rams’ 27 minutes and 42 seconds. Minnesota also had just 23 fewer yards of total offense than the Rams; yet, the Vikings lost by 18 points. Darnold failed to execute under pressure and was heavily criticized on social media.
Here are some of the reactions from fans who believe the 27-year-old quarterback will not get a big contract in free agency:
SAM DARNOLD AGENT SEEING THAT 50 MILL PER YEAR HE WAS GETTING READY TO ASK TEAMS FOR VANISH pic.twitter.com/zqjufZjD7Y
— Vandal (@BEEHIGHB) January 6, 2025
“This is exactly why you don’t pay Sam Darnold 40+ million,” said a fan.
Another fan added, “Darnold cost himself $100+ million dollars in the last two weeks.”
Sam Darnold’s agent watching him play the last two weeks: pic.twitter.com/BuButfqnch
— James Seltzer (@JamesSeltzer) January 14, 2025
“Sam Darnold just lost himself a solid hundred million or so tonight,” wrote a fan.
“Sam Darnold cost himself $100 million in nine days,” said one fan.
That 100 million dollar contract Sam Darnold was gonna ask for this offseason pic.twitter.com/2UiQ0jXqkO
— schizo (@ReviveMarc) January 14, 2025
In the first 16 seasons of the 2024 NFL season, Darnold threw for 4,153 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, completing 68.1% of his throws. He had a passer rating of 106.4 and averaged 259.6 passing yards per game.
- Darnold’s 2024 regular season QB+ grade: 79.0, C (12th in the NFL)
- Darnold’s 2024 Wild Card Round QB+ grade: 65.3, D (11th among 12 QBs)
Darnold failed to deliver in the two biggest games of his career. Had he played well against the Detroit Lions in Week 18, the Vikings would have clinched the first seed in the NFC and had a bye in the Wild Card Round.
In the last two games, the USC product threw for 411 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, completing just 53.1% of his throws. He had a passer rating of 66.4 and averaged 205.5 passing yards per game, much less than his stats in the regular season. As a result, he will likely lose millions that he would have gotten with the contract in free agency if he played as he had previously.
Should Minnesota Move on From Darnold?
Darnold had a phenomenal regular season with the Vikings, but since he didn’t perform under pressure, the franchise could look to move on from him. The former New York Jets quarterback was initially signed as a bridge quarterback and got the opportunity after J.J. McCarthy’s injury.
Now that the Vikings know what they have in Darnold, they should give an opportunity to McCarthy, the quarterback they drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Minnesota’s head coach, Kevin O’Connell, worked wonders with Kirk Cousins and Darnold, and he should be able to do even better with the quarterback he drafted himself.
Moreover, moving from Darnold gives the Vikings more financial luxury to improve the roster to help their young quarterback. The NFC North team could keep Daniel Jones on the roster as a backup to McCarthy, who would be much cheaper than Darnold.
With Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, Jones could arguably play better than Darnold did. He will be an excellent cover for the Vikings if McCarthy gets hurt again or doesn’t play well.