Vikings HC Says Sam Darnold Is 'Believed In' After 'Revenge Game' Win vs. 49ers

Sam Darnold is being embraced in Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback has led his team to a 2-0 record with wins over the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. This comes after he was thrust officially into the starting role when 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy went down for the season with a torn meniscus.

He has excelled in the role and has appeared to breathe new life into his career. Following the Week 2 victory over San Francisco, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke about how Darnold is being coached and the buy-in he has received from his Viking teammates.

"I view it as my job on a minute-to-minute, daily basis to get a great coaching staff and a lot of really great players around him," O'Connell said, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. "My goal has been to build him up with a unique opportunity here, give him as many resources as we can within our offense, but also allow him to truly feel that he's supported, he's believed in. His teammates absolutely adore the guy."

O'Connell continued by saying Darnold's work ethic and veteran experience has helped the Vikings get him at his best.

"Ultimately, he's working his tail off," O'Connell said, per Breer. "He knows we're getting the version of him that's had some experiences in this league, both positive and negative."

Darnold was the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft but had a difficult tenure with the New York Jets. He went 13-25 and threw for 8,097 yards with 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions with the franchise and was eventually dealt to the Carolina Panthers.

He faced similar struggles in Carolina and would eventually head to the 49ers for the 2023 season where he played sparingly. Now, he has a chance to carve out an opportunity for himself while leading a strong Vikings roster.