Sam Darnold: Vikings Career
A Chapter in Purple
A look back at Sam Darnold's time with the Minnesota Vikings, featuring his 2024 season statistics, notable appearances and key moments from his one chapter in purple.
This is an archive page. Sam Darnold is no longer listed as a current Vikings player. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in March 2025.
View Vikings Roster- Position
- Quarterback
- Vikings Years
- 2024
- College
- USC
- Draft
- 2018 · Round 1, Pick 3 (New York Jets)
The Minnesota Chapter
Sam Darnold joined the Minnesota Vikings in March 2024, signing as a free agent after earlier stops with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. He won the starting job in training camp after 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy was sidelined by a preseason knee injury, and went on to produce by far the best season of his career, throwing for 4,319 yards and a career-high 35 touchdowns as Minnesota finished 14-3.
This page serves as a historical archive of that single Vikings season, covering his statistics, notable games and the timeline from his arrival in Minnesota to his departure for Seattle in the 2025 off-season.
Vikings Season Statistics
| Season | GP | GS | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 17 | 17 | 361 | 545 | 66.2 | 4,319 | 35 | 12 | 102.5 |
Source: ESPN and Pro Football Reference. Regular-season totals for the 2024 Minnesota Vikings season only; his NFC Wild Card Round start is covered under Notable Appearances below.
Vikings Career Timeline
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Joined the Vikings
March 2024Signed with Minnesota as a free agent after stints with the Jets, Panthers and 49ers, then won the starting quarterback job in training camp.
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Regular season
2024 · 17 gamesStarted all 17 games, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as the Vikings finished 14-3. He was later named the Pro Football Writers Association's Most Improved Player.
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Postseason
January 13, 2025Started the NFC Wild Card Round game at the Los Angeles Rams, a 27-9 loss in which he was sacked nine times, a Vikings franchise record.
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Departure
March 2025Left Minnesota in free agency and signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, closing out his single season in purple.
Departure & Legacy
Sam Darnold's time with the Vikings came to an end after just one season. Following the Wild Card loss to the Rams that closed out Minnesota's 2024 campaign, and with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy healthy again, the Vikings moved forward with McCarthy as their starting quarterback for 2025. Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks that March on a three-year, $100.5 million contract.
His single season in Minnesota remains one of the most productive one-year stints by any Vikings quarterback: a 14-3 record, a franchise single-game passer-rating record and the PFWA's Most Improved Player award. It is a short but statistically significant chapter in the Vikings' history at the position.
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