Darnold led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win this season, but does that mean all the doubts are gone?
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, for the most part, answered all the questions that were laid at his feet in 2025.
With Darnold coming to Seattle after a horror playoff loss as a Minnesota Viking, there were doubts over his ability to bounce back.
Well, Sam had another 14-win regular season and then went 3-0 in the playoffs with zero turnovers en route to a famous Super Bowl win.
Redemption story complete, right?
For most, yes, but for others, there is still an ounce of doubt, given that the Seahawks defense was the driving force behind the Super Bowl win, not Darnold.
Granted, Darnold did his job, played the role of bus driver, and didn't crash the Ferrari into a ditch, but still, some want more.
For ESPN's Seth Walder, he thinks that there might still be a hint of doubt over Darnold heading into 2026, but stated Seattle has to be happy with its quarterback position entering the new year.
"Even after a second straight 14-win campaign and leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl title, it's still reasonable to ask which Darnold the Seahawks will get going forward," Walder wrote.
"He was legitimately lights-out in the first half of the season but then was one of the least efficient QBs in the second half. He finished somewhere between good enough and actually good in the playoffs.
"In the end, Darnold finished 19th in QBR, but the Seahawks clearly feel pretty good about him heading into 2026 considering how last season turned out."
So the main question that fans and media personalities alike will be asking themselves this offseason and into the 2026 season is what Darnold are we going to get?
Will it be the turnover machine in the regular season? Or will it be the buttoned-up, veteran quarterback who played the role of bus driver to perfection in the playoffs?
In an ideal world, the playoff version of Sam.
But as we know, the NFL won't stand still. All 31 teams will be working feverishly to find a weakness in this Seattle team, and some might start with Darnold.
The hunter has become the hunted.
But surely Sam has earned the benefit of the doubt, at least for the early part of 2026, right?
Apparently not.