It’s Official: Sam Darnold Leaves Vikings
Sam Darnold is a part of the Minnesota Vikings’ “Big Four” of free agency, along with cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., safety Camryn Bynum, and running back Aaron Jones.
It’s Official: Sam Darnold Leaves Vikings
And with “legal tampering” kicking off this week, Darnold has opted to depart the Vikings, joining the Seattle Seahawks, as the rumor mill strongly suggested for the last 60+ hours.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweeted, “Sam Darnold has agreed to terms with the Seahawks, per source. The top free agent quarterback available, Darnold gets the three-year deal he sought and heads to Seattle after a career year in Minnesota.”
The deal is reportedly for three years and $100.5 million, with $55 million guaranteed.
It’s a fresh start for Darnold, who totally revitalized his career in Minnesota, delivering 36 total touchdowns in 2024, along with 4,319 passing yards and just 12 interceptions.
The move leaves Minnesota’s QB room with these assets and a clear nod that J.J. McCarthy will rise to the QB1 assignment this summer and fall.
- J.J. McCarthy
- Brett Rypien
The Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday night, paving the way for Darnold to Seattle. With the Seahawks, Darnold will reunite with Klint Kubiak, who Seattle hired as its offensive coordinator during this year’s coaching carousel. Kubiak and Darnold worked together in 2023 for the San Francisco 49ers, where Darnold manned QB2 responsibilities behind Brock Purdy.
In Seattle, Darnold will join this quarterback room:
- Sam Darnold
- Sam Howell
- Jaren Hall
The Seahawks offense ranked 18th per EPA/Play in 2024, so Darnold and Kubiak will hope to nudge that mark closer to the Top 10.
Interestingly, Seattle has already said goodbye to the aforementioned Smith, D.K. Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett this offseason, making Darnold’s Year One task a bit more difficult, at least on paper.
In February, with his future up in the air, Darnold posted — what seemed like — a sentimental goodbye note on Instagram.
“Year 7… So grateful for my teammates, coaches, and the entire organization. We created memories and relationships that will last a lifetime and we got to do it in front of the best fanbase in the world #SKOL,” Darnold wrote.
And Darnold made good on the goodbye, landing with the Seahawks about five weeks later.
Meanwhile, Vikings fans await the announcement of another quarterback for the 2025 depth chart. McCarthy is tentatively on deck for QB1 duty, but most believe Minnesota will sign an experienced backup to aid McCarthy along the way and act as an insurance policy if McCarthy suffers another injury. His rookie season was cut short last August by a torn meniscus.
Darnold helped the Vikings knock off the Seahawks in a December thriller last season, one of the peaks of his 2024 campaign. With everything on the line in Week 18 and the postseason, Darnold and the Vikings crumbled when it mattered the most, resulting in a one-and-done playoff trip.
The new Seahawk will turn 28 this summer.
Vikings Free Agent Tracker | 2025
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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