Sam Darnold's incredible season is putting him in rare company

The numbers Darnold continues to put up this season are almost hard to believe.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) scrambles out of the pocket against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

What Sam Darnold is doing this season should not be overlooked or taken for granted. He's having the type of year that simply doesn't happen very often.

Darnold threw three more touchdown passes in the Vikings' win over the Seahawks, including an incredible go-ahead strike to Justin Jefferson late in the fourth quarter. He's helped lead Minnesota to a 13-2 record in his first year with the franchise. Only two other non-rookie quarterbacks in NFL history have led a team to at least 13 wins in their first season with a new team: Steve McNair with the 2006 Ravens and Peyton Manning with the 2012 Broncos.

No QB has ever switched teams and won 14 games in their debut season with a new franchise. Darnold has two opportunities left to become the first.

On Sunday in Seattle, Darnold recorded a 112.3 passer rating, marking his 12th game this season with a passer rating of at least 100. He's tied with Lamar Jackson this year with 12 such games, which had only been done eight times in league history prior to this season. If Darnold and/or Jackson get one more over the next two weeks, they'll join Aaron Rodgers (twice) and Patrick Mahomes as the only QBs to ever have 13 games with a 100+ rating in a single season. Both can also tie 2020 Rodgers for the NFL record with 14.

And it should probably come as no surprise that Darnold is the first player to ever change teams and have at least 12 games at 100+ in the following season. For some context, he had a 100+ rating 12 total times in 56 career starts coming into this year.

Darnold also threw for multiple passing touchdowns on Sunday for the 11th time this season. Only Kirk Cousins (12 in both 2020 and '21) has more in a season in Vikings history, and Minnesota's current QB has two games left to tie or break that record.

The numbers are truly remarkable for a player who was written off as a bust during his time with the Jets and Panthers. Darnold was always physically capable of making high-level throws, which is why he was the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, but this is the first time he's ever fully put it all together and played at a consistently high level. Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings' infrastructure are certainly a big part of that, but Darnold also deserves plenty of credit for how far he's come.

With two weeks left in the season, Darnold has 3,776 passing yards (sixth in the NFL), 32 touchdowns (fifth), and a 105.4 rating (fourth). He's won as many games in 15 starts with the Vikings as he did in 38 starts with the Jets. He should be a virtual lock for the Pro Bowl and perhaps even in the mix for second team All-Pro honors with a strong finish to the year.

It's been quite the career resurrection. The Vikings will have a big decision to make on Darnold's future this offseason, but that's a discussion for another day. For now, just enjoy everything he's doing, and the special journey that this Vikings team has been on.

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