Quarterbacks that win Vince Lombardi trophies can usually talk their talk and walk their walks free of judgement. They’ve earned it, no matter the box score. Someone tell that to Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Sam Darnold.
In a wide-ranging sit down on the Bussin’ With The Boys Podcast, we get to see a slightly different side of Darnold than his all-business demeanor during in-season media availability. The championship signal-caller was relaxed, honest, thoughtful, and humble, yet confident and playful
in the conversation. It was fun to see him banter in a less formal and slightly NSFW environment.
You could say he let his metaphorical hair down a bit with fellow (but former) NFL players, Taylor Lewan and Will Compton as interviewers, but he also dodged a couple of spicy questions.
The two interviewers lightly ribbed Darnold in the beginning, setting a somewhat playful tone. Compton jokingly yelling that the former USC QB was “left for dead” in San Francisco, and Lewan sarcastically pronouncing that “everyone says this guy sucks… and now he’s in!”
Those comments were from friends and spilling over with sarcasm, as Compton and Lewan also made sure to point out his accomplishments. Yet, it is funny to note that even the players themselves are aware of the media storylines.
Darnold took all of this in stride and was even self-effacing at times. He also gave a lot of credit and shoutouts to former and current teammates. He did make a fascinating remark about his Super Bowl experience.
“I didn’t play great in the Super Bowl. Like, I missed way too many throws; and we still won. Our defense balled out and I didn’t turn the ball over, which helped, but to win the Super Bowl that way? I was like… kinda bummed.” He goes on to say: “I didn’t play my best football in the Super Bowl? That sucks!”
I mean, that’s real. You are a champion though, Sam! It’s somewhat of a surprising sentiment but maybe shouldn’t be shocking. When NBC’s Melissa Stark interviewed the passer on the field shortly after the game ended, he said: “I know we won the Super Bowl, but we could have been a little bit better on offense.”
The level of perfectionism in the former No. 3 overall pick was further framed on the Nashville set as Darnold discussed three throws that he remembers misfiring on that could’ve been big plays on the biggest stage. One each to his top three wideouts last year, in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, and Rashid Shaheed.
Let’s remember that Sam had 346 yards passing and 3 TD’s to go along with 0 turnovers against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game to help push Seattle into the Super Bowl. He is the first starting QB in NFL history to win a ring after playing with 5+ teams. And lastly, the New England Patriots blitzed Darnold on 65% of drop backs going into halftime, the highest rate he’s seen in his whole career. They were dead set on not wanting that man to get comfortable.
The Seattle Seahawks are supporting him as much as possible; whether they do so with a complimentary defense, top tier personnel or by sound scheme.
When asked by “The Boys” about the ring ceremony, Darnold talked about how nice it was to celebrate, get told how great he is as a newly minted champion, but explaining that “you kinda want to just move on a little bit” and following that hilarious statement with calling the actual ceremony a “last hoorah” for last year’s team.
Sam Darnold and the rest of the Hawks will be “running it forward” this year. Hopefully time helps Seattle’s trigger man to look back at the city’s second Super Bowl win with increasing fondness… but determination to get better is not a bad consolation.
For anyone worried about Darnold being too hard on himself, he dropped a gem of a quote: “With anything, you’re gonna have doubts,” going on to state that “it’s about how to quiet that.” Darnold turns that idea to himself, flatly laying it out by saying that, “the belief and the trust that I have in myself outweighs any doubts that I ever have.”
