A surprising quarterback gamble paid off, elevating Seattle into a championship contender and earning top marks in a new ranking of recent free agent triumphs.
When the Seattle Seahawks signed quarterback Sam Darnold in free agency, the move came with plenty of skepticism. After bouncing between multiple teams early in his career, Darnold still had plenty to prove.
The 28-year-old field general had a solid season in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, but one good season does not a great player make.
But a Super Bowl win is a whole different story.
In a recent article by Bleacher Report's David Kenyon, he ranks what he believes are the 15 best free agent signings of the last decade. And at No. 3 on his list, he has Seattle signing Darnold last offseason.
"On the heels of that surprising surge in Minnesota, Sam Darnold ventured back into the open market with a fascinating outlook," Kenyon writes. "Minnesota had used a first-round pick on J.J. McCarthy and wanted to move forward with him under center. Darnold needed to find a new home, and the Seattle Seahawks came calling after moving Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.That alone did not win a Super Bowl, but it sure helped."
In his first year in Seattle, Darnold threw for more than 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, guiding the Seahawks to a 14–3 record, the best in the NFC. His performance not only validated Seattle’s decision to bring him in, but it also helped transform the team into a championship contender.
The story is particularly remarkable considering where Darnold’s career once stood. Originally drafted third overall in 2018, he struggled to find stability during stops with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers before finally breaking out in Minnesota.
Seattle’s front office saw the potential and made the bold decision to bet on his resurgence not being just a one season thing.
Needless to say, that gamble paid off in a massive way.
For the Seahawks, the signing didn’t just solve their quarterback situation — it helped deliver one of the franchise’s most memorable seasons. And now, with the move ranked among the greatest free-agent signings of the last decade, it stands as a reminder that sometimes the biggest risks can lead to the biggest rewards.