Sam Darnold turns heads with major admission about his time with Jets, Panthers before arriving in Seattle

It’s undeniable that Sam Darnold may be experiencing one of the best stretches of his career. However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the Seahawks quarterback. His early days in the NFL, wearing the colors of the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, undoubtedly served as valuable experience, helping the two-time Pro Bowler reach the brink of his first Super Bowl.

In a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Darnold reflected on his time not only with Carolina but also in the Big Apple, the team that took a chance on him and gave him his first steps in the NFL after the draft.

“I think just being able to handle it at this point of my career too, I feel like, even mentally, I handle it a little differently internally than I used to. Because I realize it is part of the journey, it is part of who I am,” Darnold said.

“… I invested a little more thought into what happened in the past—I threw this pick against this coverage back in 2019, I’m not going to do that again, no, sometimes mistakes happen. You learn from it, and you don’t want to make the same mistakes again, but sometimes throughout your career, especially if its a long career, those things are going to happen.

“But just being able to move on and learn from those experiences, but move on. And the days in New York, the days in Carolina, those were part of my journey, and they’re part of my experience and I loved every single part of it. Yeah there were some lows that (expletive), I’m not gonna lie to ya, and that’s part of it though. I learned so much from that and I’m able to move on.”

On the brink of glory

Sam Darnold enters Super Bowl LX as an MVP contender, a crowning achievement that reflects a remarkable journey of professional maturation. After the early adversity and seeing ghosts during his stints with the Jets and Panthers, Darnold underwent a transformative education, first absorbing the elite standards of the 49ers’ system as a backup and then executing at a high level with the Vikings in 2024.

Now leading the Seahawks to a 14-3 record under Klint Kubiak, Darnold has combined the lessons learned from those diverse environments to post over 4,000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns this season.

This weekend in Santa Clara, he isn’t just seeking a ring; he is looking to finalize the most impressive redemption arc in modern NFL history by proving that his refined processing and veteran poise have finally matched his undeniable physical talent.