Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, Sam Darnold’s redemption arc was already written in the history books. But it was recent praise from his head coach, Mike Macdonald, that finally prompted the quarterback to truly reflect on the personal struggles that made the triumph possible. After the 29-13 triumph over the New England Patriots, Darnold finally opened up about his journey that shaped his road to the top.

“It’s funny how it works,” Darnold said. “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. And I think because of that year in San Francisco, I was able to learn a ton. Learn from Brock [Purdy] and coach Shanahan.”

Back then, on the sideline of Levi’s Stadium, Darnold waited behind Brock Purdy, embracing the backup role and absorbing every detail from the coaching staff. Now that patience has paid off, as he became a Super Bowl winner in his first season leading the Seattle Seahawks, at the same venue.

One of the toughest moments of Sam Darnold’s career came back in 2019 during his time with the New York Jets. In Week 7 against the New England Patriots, he struggled badly, fumbling the ball and having multiple interceptions, which summed up a brutal night. Soon after, cameras caught Darnold on the bench with a stunned expression, and his words quickly became infamous.

“I’m seeing ghosts,” he said, a line that followed him for years.

From that point on, Gang Green faced constant questions, while the Patriots’ defense earned even more praise for breaking young quarterbacks. Years later, back in 2022, Darnold revealed how tough that moment was.

“That was the worst game by far that I’ve ever played in my life,” Darnold said on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast. “I own up to it.”

Now, beating the Patriots on the biggest stage completed a full-circle moment for him. In the victory, Darnold finished 19 of 38 for 202 yards with a touchdown. While the stat line was modest, the result was not.

When asked where the confidence came from after being traded so often, Darnold did not hesitate.

“It’s easy. My teammates and my coaches.” He added, “They believed in me ever since the beginning of training camp. That was our mindset every single day we came to work.”

Sam Darnold isn’t the only quarterback with a redemption arc. Geno Smith’s turnaround at the Seattle Seahawks remains one of the most inspiring comeback stories in recent NFL history. After spending years as a backup and being moved between teams, Smith finally got his long-awaited shot in 2022, and boy, did he grab the opportunity.

He started 17 games that year, threw 30 touchdowns, and even made the Pro Bowl while leading his team to the playoffs and winning the AP Comeback Player of the Year. Smith’s reputation changed overnight, and he went from a journeyman quarterback to a proven starter. Darnold’s story is not very different.

Darnold’s sentiment was echoed by head coach Mike Macdonald, who had praised his quarterback’s resilience throughout the season.

Head coach Mike Macdonald praised Sam Darnold

This season, Sam Darnold became a household name for the Seahawks, and head coach Mike Macdonald made sure to give his quarterback credit for the team’s championship run.

“All he does is just play great football,” Macdonald said while speaking to the media. “He’s a great teammate every day. Same guy every day. By the way, he’s a great football player, and the team loves him, you know, and he’s earned it. He’s earned it every day. And I can’t be more happy for someone than Sam Darnold being a world champion. He’s absolutely earned this.”

However, the road to this moment was anything but smooth for Darnold. He entered the league with massive expectations after the New York Jets selected him third overall in the 2018 draft out of USC. Unfortunately, he struggled to find his footing early in his career, as he posted a 78.6 passer rating over his first three seasons, ranking near the bottom among regular starters during that stretch.

After that, the Jets traded him to the Carolina Panthers for what proved to be a frustrating stint. Things started to change, though, when he arrived in San Francisco, where he backed up Brock Purdy, started one game in 2023, and appeared in 10 total, completing 28 of 46 passes with two touchdowns.

He finally put it all together after arriving in the Emerald City this year. Darnold finished the regular season with a 99.1 passer rating, 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Then, when it mattered most, he was steady, posting a 102.4 rating with 672 yards and five passing touchdowns in three playoff games, fully justifying Macdonald’s praise.