Sam Darnold ‘not focused’ on coincidences on big offseason contract

In the midst of a career year, a resurgent Sam Darnold says he isn’t thinking ahead to the offseason, when he could potentially cash in on a life-changing contract.

Darnold, speaking to ESPN ahead of a big clash with the Bears on Monday night, said he’s “not focused on that at all.” It’s a big offseason contract after the best season of his professional career.

Through 13 games, Darnold has thrown for 3,299 yards and 28 touchdowns, both career highs, while throwing ten picks, none of which have come in the previous four games. More importantly, the 27-year-old has the Vikings at 11-2 with the potential for an NFC North crown and the best record in the conference still up for grabs with four games remaining.

“I’m really stuck at the moment. I think that’s the best way to approach it, just to be where my feet are,” Darnold said.

Darnold is playing on a one-year, $10 million deal he signed with the team in March. Originally envisioned as a bridge quarterback, until rookie JJ McCarthy, the overall No. 10 in the draft, is ready to play.

The senior season comes after a turbulent start to his career after being taken as the no. 3 overall by the Jets in 2018. Darnold went 13-25 in New York and threw for 8,097 yards 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions over parts of three seasons before the Jets. sent him to Carolina.

After two similarly poor seasons with the Panthers, Darnold headed west to be the backup to 49ers QB Brock Purdy in 2023.

“It’s special,” Darnold said of his resurgence. “To be honest, I really haven’t had a lot of time to think about it, think about my journey and where I am now because we’re really just taking it one game at a time. I’m really trying to get stuck in the moment but that is especially this team that I’m on, the teammates that I have in that locker room, the coaches that I have that are able to put together such good game plans for us every single week. us in good positions, that’s a special group to be a part of off.”

Darnold credits his support system and the one-day-at-a-time mantra for keeping him focused during the six-year struggles to begin his professional career.

“The biggest thing was just doing exactly what I’m doing now and just taking it one game at a time. One moment at a time, really,” Darnold said. “Whether it’s Wednesday practice, Thursday you go into third down, Friday red zone. Just continuing to stack really good days. Obviously, my time in New York, my time in Carolina, those days, on Sundays, sometimes didn’t go our way, but it is what it is, sometimes it will happen in the NFL. Even as a young player, it really helped me move on and I learned a lot about myself I really am robust.”

Darnold’s resilience has been tested at times this season. In Week 10, against a two-win Jaguars team, Darnold threw three interceptions in easily the worst game of his Vikings tenure. Minnesota managed to squeak out a 12-7 victory and advance.

Darnold stepped up in a big way, helping the Vikings go 4-0 over the next four games, throwing 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions, including a five-touchdown performance in Week 14 against the Falcons.

“I think it validated a ton of hard work, not just myself, but our whole team, and that we’ve been putting in ever since April, starting here in OTAs. Just all the hard work that we’ve put through that time and it’s great to see hard work come to fruition in a game like this,” Darnold said of the Falcons game. “It’s just one game and for us. We’re always, kind of, worried about that one game, and then after that, it’s like, ‘OK, what’s next?'”

As for what’s next, the Vikings host the Bears at US Bank Stadium on Monday Night Football. With a win, the Vikings could tie even with the Lions, who lost a barn burner to the Bills on Sunday, atop the division and the conference — and set the stage for what could be a crazy battle for the overall No. 1st seed between Viking, Lions and Eagles.