Sam Darnold

BIOGRAPHY

Samuel Richard Darnold, born on June 5, 1997, in Dana Point, California, played baseball, football, and basketball at San Clemente High School in San Clemente, California. His early talent and versatility in multiple sports, most notably football, led him to break records at his high school, leading to his pursuit of a professional football career.

Darnold initially played as a wide receiver and a linebacker in high school, but transitioned to quarterback following the injury of the starting quarterback. Overcoming a foot injury in his junior year, Darnold guided San Clemente to the CIF-Southern Section Southwest Division championship game in his senior year. During this year, he made significant strides in his game, impressively passing for 3,000 yards and 39 touchdowns alongside 800 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.

Viewed as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Darnold became the eighth best dual-threat quarterback and the 179th best player overall in his class. Darnold was courted by schools like Oregon, Utah, Northwestern, and Duke. However, he chose to attend the University of Southern California (USC), where his impressive performance during a football camp caught the attention of USC coaches Clay Helton and Steve Sarkisian.

Darnold redshirted his freshman year at USC due to existing depth in the quarterback position. However, Darnold later emerged as the team’s go-to quarterback after a slow start to the season by Max Browne, the team’s first-choice quarterback. Darnold’s skills as a quarterback shined in his rookie season, breaking several records at USC, earning him the 2016 Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year award. His spectacular performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl further solidified his place as one of college football’s most promising young talents.

After his redshirt sophomore year, Darnold declared his intention to join the 2018 NFL draft. He was selected third overall by the New York Jets, making him the youngest opening-day starting quarterback since the AFL–NFL merger at 21. Despite some inconsistent play throughout his stint with the Jets and a foot injury, Darnold showcased aspects of his talent on several occasions.

However, following his three-year trajectory with the Jets, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021. He stayed with the Panthers for two seasons before briefly playing as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers for a season. In 2024, he signed up and began playing for the Minnesota Vikings as a professional football quarterback.

Throughout his journey, Darnold has demonstrated exceptional talent, grit, and passion for the game that shone brightly, even during periods of adversity. His story is an example of a relentless will to thrive, marked by his deep dedication to the sport, his competitive spirit and his pursuit to always better his performance. The chapters of his career continue to unfold, further solidifying his place within the National Football League’s rich tapestry of talented individuals.