Sam Darnold had it all going for him until he picked the worst time to have his worst two-week stretch of the season.
The Minnesota Vikings lost back-to-back games, ending what seemed like a dream season that no one saw coming.
After the Vikings’ 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card round on Monday, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to reporters.
His words made it seem like he and the organization have already made a decision on his status going forward, as he said Sam Darnold has a “special place in my heart” because of the way he played this season.
“I think that can stay with him moving forward. Sam and that journey him and I went on will always be something that’s a special place in my heart.”
The way Kevin O’Connell talks about Sam Darnold here really signals that he’s gone 👀
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) January 14, 2025
“I think that can stay with him moving forward… Sam and that journey him and I went on will always be something that’s a special place in my heart.” pic.twitter.com/noQChHpGNh
The Rams’ nine sacks of Darnold tied for the most by a team in a single playoff game.
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The pressure was on from the start, as they had six in the first half alone. The most crucial one resulted in a fumble that Jared Verse returned 57 yards for a touchdown.
It remains to be seen if the Vikings would at least use the franchise tag to keep Sam Darnold.
Yes, his final two games were terrible, but he led the team to a 14-3 record, and if not for a historic year of their own, they could’ve easily been the No. 1 team in the NFC over the Lions.
Sam Darnold Shoulders Blame For Wild Card Loss
Darnold was excellent for most of the season, playing by far the best football of his career.
However, teams will remember the last two games: the 31-9 loss to the Lions in the regular-season finale and Monday night’s 27-9 loss to the Rams in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
After the season came to an end, Sam Darnold shouldered the blame for taking nine sacks in the game.
“It’s up to me to be able to feel that and either step up, move, go run for a first down, or just simply throw it away,” he said. “I felt like there were a lot of sacks that I was responsible for, where I was just holding onto the football and taking sacks where I could have dirted it at someone’s feet or simply thrown it over someone’s head.”
Darnold finished 25-of-40 for 245 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
This came after he went 18-of-41 for 166 yards in a 31-9 loss against the Detroit Lions in Week 18.
