Fresh off a championship run, the 2018 third overall pick is shedding his underdog label as analysts eye a potential historic individual trophy for 2026.
Sam Darnold's career has already produced one of the NFL's most remarkable turnaround stories, but the Seattle Seahawks quarterback may not be finished surprising people just yet.
In a recent Bleacher Report article highlighting five under-the-radar MVP candidates for the 2026 season, Darnold earned a spot among the league's most intriguing dark-horse contenders. Considering where his career stood just a few years ago, even being mentioned in the MVP conversation is a testament to how far he has come.
"Still only 29 and with limited mileage, Darnold could be building up toward his best season yet," BR's Brad Gagnon writes. "He's got plenty of support on both sides of the ball, and his confidence level could be sky-high coming off that Super Bowl run. The ingredients are there for a former top-three pick."
After helping lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship during the 2025 season, Darnold enters 2026 with something he has rarely enjoyed throughout his NFL journey: stability.
The 2018 No. 3 overall pick bounced between multiple organizations early in his career before finally finding success in Minnesota. Then after just one season there, Seattle saw the potential for another great year.
And the rest is history.
The Seahawks have also maintained much of the foundation that fueled their title season. Mike Macdonald's defense remains one of the league's biggest strengths, while Seattle's offense continues to feature talented playmakers capable of producing explosive plays. When a team is expected to contend for another deep playoff run, its quarterback naturally becomes part of the MVP discussion.
Of course, winning the award won't be easy. Darnold would have to outperform several of the league's biggest stars, and MVP voters traditionally favor quarterbacks who post elite statistical seasons while leading teams to top records.
A year ago, many around the league were still debating whether his resurgence was sustainable. Today, he's the quarterback of the defending Super Bowl champions and could be a legitimate MVP candidate.
That alone speaks volumes about how dramatically the narrative surrounding Sam Darnold has changed around the league. From a big bust, to one of the NFL's brightest stars.
