Stephen A. Smith to Cris Carter: 'You forgetting who your quarterback is'

Still no love for Sam Darnold from one of the loudest voices in national media.

December 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; ESPN broadcaster Stephen A. Smith before the in-season tournament championship between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

It's Stephen A. Smith's job to drive engagement, so consider his latest comments to Vikings great Cris Carter about current Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold a job well done.

"You forgetting who your quarterback is. We talking about Sam Darnold," Smith said on his podcast to Carter on Tuesday. The two were going back and forth about Darnold and whether his three-game start to the season is for real or just a small sample size of success that will eventually buckle into chaos.

"You can bring up what we've seen over the first three games. You've given me three games, I could give you six years of ineptitude on his part before these three games," Smith told Carter.

It's true. Darnold was most bad during his time with the Jets and Panthers from 2018 to 2022. He was the 49ers backup quarterback in 2023 and now he's lighting up the league for the undefeated Vikings, having tossed eight touchdowns and only two interceptions in a 3-0 start.

"I ain't gonna front, I like him," Smith said of how Darnold is playing at the moment, only to then switch gears and toss in a caveat. "Why should we look at Sam Darnold and believe that what was taking place the previous five or six years ain't gonna suddenly reoccur?"

Carter pointed to the fact that Darnold is succeeding despite playing without No. 2 wide receiver Jordan Addison the past two games and not yet getting a chance to play with star tight end T.J. Hockenson, who will miss at least one more game before he's eligible to return from the PUP list in Week 5.

Smith then cheapened Minnesota's win over the 49ers in Week 2 by noting that Christian McCaffrey didn't play and Deebo Samuel injured his calf. Samuel, by the way, had eight catches for 110 yards and got hurt late in the game so his absence wasn't much of a factor.

Smith is also clearly looking past Minnesota's defense, which has made Daniel Jones, Brock Purdy and C.J. Stroud look terrible while generating 16 sacks and allowing 10 points per game.

What does Darnold have to do to enter Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith territory in Smith's eyes? We may never know, but Carter believes Darnold will generate a lot more believers by leading the Vikings into Lambeau Field this week and then battling Aaron Rodgers and the Jets in London in Week 5.

"The next two weeks will prove a lot in terms of getting people on the bandwagon," Carter said.