Nov 21, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings turned the page on the Kirk Cousins era this offseason, and once they bowed out of his sweepstakes, finding a new signal caller was a must. Sam Darnold is a former first-round pick, and while he doesn’t have a track record of success, he apparently is down for a good time.
Although Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used his first 2024 NFL Draft pick on Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, the plan is for the Minnesota Vikings to start Sam Darnold. He could certainly find success in an ideal situation for the first time, and if he’s going to rack up the passing yards or follow in Baker Mayfield’s footsteps, then everyone involved would come out on top.
Of course, Kevin O’Connell would love to like his new starting quarterback, but the level of fondness will remain a mystery until production on the field shows itself. Nothing about his play on the field will reveal Darnold’s love for a good meme, and he has dipped his toes in the Hawk Tuah Girl’s water as well.
Gambling personality Stephie Smalls grabbed a screenshot that certainly should induce at least the same level of a smile as Hailey Welch’s now-viral comment. It remains to be discovered if Darnold is a fan of the act, the accent, Welch, or something else entirely. His heart emoji is definitely left open to interpretation.
No matter the intention, the hope is that Minnesota Vikings fans are left giving Darnold all of the heart emojis on their own this season. No one expects much from this team in 2024, and while that is fair coming off a 7-10 season, a roster reconfiguration may allow Minnesota to shock the league in the same vein as the 2023 Houston Texans.
It appears that the Vikings may also be on board with their new quarterback’s preferences. The Gjallarhorn should be able to handle a good Hawk Tuah, and we may soon find out.
A parody tweet, of course, that’s where we’re at right now with this the Darnold + Hailey Welch section of the preseason.
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and Darnold finding his with the Vikings would be fitting. We’ll have to wait and see how the next chapter for him goes, but success will give him more than just a few fleeting moments in the spotlight.
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.