Sam Darnold did everything right during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl LX victory, and after winning the championship, he made sure to acknowledge the role Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan played in his development as a player and in helping him reach where he is today with Seattle.
“It’s funny how it works. I didn’t play great football the first few years of my career, and then I came here to San Francisco, and I learned a ton,” Darnold said while recalling that phase of his career with Shanahan‘s 49ers in 2023, when he appeared in 10 games and threw two touchdowns and one interception.
Despite his limited action at quarterback in San Francisco, Darnold said his understanding of the game grew significantly while learning the system. “Because of that year in San Francisco, I was able to learn a ton. Learned from Brock Purdy and coach Shanahan.”
Purdy unlocked some of Darnold’s potential
Darnold went on to explain how that short time alongside Purdy helped him “unlock” his potential, or at least part of it, allowing him to become the high-level quarterback he is today. “I really thank Brock… Brock Purdy a ton,” Darnold said.
Darnold’s season was strong once again, surpassing 4,000 passing yards for a second straight year (4,048 in 2025 and 4,319 in 2024 with the Vikings). He also threw 25 touchdowns, 10 fewer than the previous season, but it was enough to lead the Seahawks to Super Bowl LX and win it.
After his time in San Francisco ended, Darnold used what he learned to succeed with two different teams. “And I was able to kind of learn and go to Minnesota and play good football there. I was able to come to Seattle and do the same. So, it’s funny how things work, but that’s life. I’m gonna continue to keep working.”