"You're probably not, but I deserve the ridicule. I was fully on board with Minnesota letting Darnold walk to Seattle last offseason. As was the head coach ... and the front office ... and the ownership ... and most Vikings fans if they're all being honest with you. The rationale behind the decision made sense. Minnesota had spent three years carefully executing a plan to build around the fabled rookie QB contract."
"Darnold had a career year with the 2024 Vikings, but then played like absolute dogshit in the final two games. This franchise has spent so much time trying to win titles with rental QB, only to have their necks broken against the glass ceiling. So when Darnold fell apart last January, Minnesota had to choose between paying a mint to a guy who had just failed them in very familiar ways, or sticking to their original plan."
"They stuck to the plan, and proceeded to fall into a bottomless pit. Maybe they'd be in the Super Bowl right now if they'd slapped a franchise tag on Darnold to keep him, or maybe he would have eaten up too much of their cap space for that to be possible. It doesn't really matter either way, because no "what if" matters in sports."
Minnesota allowed Sam Darnold to leave for Seattle after weighing a costly contract against a multi-year plan built around rookie quarterback deals. Darnold produced a career year in 2024 but faltered in the final two games, prompting the team to prioritize financial strategy over short-term retention. The Vikings adhered to their plan and subsequently declined, leaving fans and analysts frustrated. Speculation about a franchise tag creating a Super Bowl opportunity is dismissed as irrelevant to outcomes. Darnold has since emerged as an outstanding, high-risk, high-reward quarterback who aggressively pursues deep passes and has energized observers with his play.
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