Darnold has had back-to-back top seasons, and now that he's on the doorstep of a Super Bowl win, yet some aren't convinced of Sam's talent.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has had his fair share of skeptics over the course of his career.
With Darnold often wilting under pressure and on the verge of being a "bust," he had to work his way back with humility.
No longer a starter after failed attempts with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, Sam had to take his lumps for years. And he did.
His 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings was superb, and ended with a Pro Bowl, but a nasty playoff performance allowed all of Sam's skeptics to come out of the woodwork again.
Then he moved to Seattle, and another 14-3 regular season and another Pro Bowl, Sam had turned a corner, right? Not exactly. People wanted more.
Well, a 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round didn't sway people. And his 25-of-36, 346-yard, 3 TD NFC Championship game performance that put the Seahawks into the Super Bowl didn't, either.
So, what else does Sam have to do to quieten those skeptics that are just waiting for him to fail?
CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan knows.
“Darnold's career resurrection is one of the great developments over the last two years,” Sullivan wrote. “There's still the question in the back of people's minds, wondering if Darnold will turn back into a pumpkin at some point.
"That's what keeps some from having total confidence in Darnold heading into this Super Bowl, and a strong performance that ends with him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy may be the only way to rid those skeptics for good.”
So, a Super Bowl win?
One could make the case that after Darnold's game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship, his haters would be silenced.
But it appears not, with former player LeSean McCoy still not giving Darnold his flowers.
If a Super Bowl win is the only thing that Sam can do to shut up his critics once and for all, then against the New England Patriots, that is exactly what he'll have to do.
If we are being honest, Sam could throw for another 300+ yards and 3 TDs in the win, and it still won't be good enough.
It appears Darnold is still paying the price for his early struggles in the NFL, and because of that, the only thing that might save him is a Super Bowl.