Aug 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports.
A season ago, Sam Darnold was holding the clipboard for Kyle Shanahan as he backed up Brock Purdy. The failed first-round pick went to the Super Bowl and got to see what that level of success looked like. On Sunday, he has a chance to take down that team as the starter for the Minnesota Vikings.
No one has given the Minnesota Vikings much hope this season. J.J. McCarthy was drafted to be the quarterback of the future but suffered a season-ending knee injury before the regular season even started. Sam Darnold is now in line to start all 17 games for Kevin O’Connell. That isn’t a good thing given how he fared with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers.
In Week 1, Sam Darnold showed how good he could look when put in an ideal position. The reality was that performance came against a team fully expected to be among the worst in the league for 2024. That isn’t the same expectation given to the San Francisco 49ers, and if Darnold can win in Week 2, everything changes.
Last year, Darnold played in 10 games for the 49ers while starting one. He lost the game he started and threw just two touchdown passes, going 28-of-46. Nothing about his time as a backup would shed light on how he would fare in the future. He did get to learn from a very good head coach, though.
Working with Kevin O’Connell, Darnold is now the guy with another very good head coach. He will be without Jordan Addison on Sunday, but the rest of his offensive weapons are ready to go. Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver on the planet, and Aaron Jones had a great debut with the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold is equipped with pieces to get the job done, and it will now be on him to execute.
The Vikings come into the matchup as sizable underdogs. Even hosting the game at U.S. Bank Stadium, there isn’t much hope for O’Connell’s squad to start 2-0. That reality makes it even more incredible should Darnold best his former team with a victory.
If the Vikings celebrate again on Sunday, their season prospects will take on a different outlook.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.