Sam Darnold is a quarterback in the NFL and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers. He was the first freshman in college to win the Archie Griffin Award, and he is the youngest quarterback to start in the NFL on opening day. Get all of the latest Sam Darnold stats and news here!
Sam Darnold was originally recruited to play linebacker by USC before he declined. In 2016, he was the second-string quarterback but was moved to the starter after the first three games of the season. He lost his first game and won every game after that. He was named the 2016 Pac-12 Conference Freshman Offensive Player of the Year. USC was invited to play in the 2017 Rose Bowl, and Darnold set a Rose Bowl record for passing touchdowns (5) and total yards (453). He entered the 2018 NFL Draft and was selected third overall by the New York Jets. Sam Darnold’s contract was a four-year, $30.25 million deal fully guaranteed with a $20 million sign-on bonus.
He finished his rookie season in the NFL with 2,865 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. After a lackluster 2020 season where he only threw for 2,208 yards and nine touchdowns, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers in April of 2021. Sam continued to be at the middle of the pack as far as NFL quarterbacks go, throwing for 2,527 yards and nine passing touchdowns. He was named the backup quarterback to Baker Mayfield for the 2022 season and suffered a high ankle sprain mid-season, sidelining him for most of the beginning of the season.
