Darnold already silenced the doubters in 2025, but could he do something even bigger in 2026?
I think it's fair to say that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has ended the "bust" narrative that was threatening to define his NFL career.
After winning the Super Bowl last season, Darnold has now done something Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson haven't, and that carries a lot of weight.
After a tough start to life in the league, Darnold found his spot in Seattle with Mike Macdonald, and his form over the duration of the 2025 season, for the most part, was of a high level.
With a Super Bowl now in his back pocket, the narrative around Darnold has changed dramatically, and rightly so. He's a champion now.
But why stop there?
What if Darnold managed to do something only a select few quarterbacks have done in the NFL?
What if he went back-to-back?
For CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo, that could cement Darnold's legacy in a way that not many have ever done.
"By winning last season's Super Bowl, Darnold forever changed the narrative of his career," DeArdo wrote. " A second Super Bowl win would again change the narrative surrounding Darnold, especially if he and the Seahawks successfully defend their title.
"Darnold would become only the ninth starting quarterback to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Of the eight quarterbacks that have done so, six are in the Hall of Fame, and the other two (Brady and Patrick Mahomes) will be when they are eligible for induction."
Now, we are getting a little ahead of ourselves with this sort of talk, but could you imagine Darnold and the Seahawks going back-to-back?
What that would do for Sam and how he is viewed in the league would nearly make him bulletproof in the eyes of most.
Only eight quarterbacks in NFL history have done it, and Darnold could be the ninth; that would be something special. Of course, that is a long way away right now as OTAs are still rolling on, but Darnold's career, in the span of two years, could do a complete 360.
From being on the NFL scrap heap, to then potentially winning two Super Bowls in a row, that would solidify Sam's career in a way that could almost reserve a spot for him in Canton.
Yes, we are getting ahead of ourselves here, and the chances of it happening aren't good, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
And imagine if it does...
