Seahawks HC Says Sam Darnold Is 'Playing Out Of His Mind' After Win vs. Cardinals

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald heaped praise on quarterback Sam Darnold following Thursday night's 23-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Speaking to reporters after the dramatic road victory, Macdonald said: "Sam's playing out of his mind right now. You see him, he's just such a cool customer. But he's a guy on a mission. He's so determined for us to be a great team and a great offense, and he's doing a great job leading us."

▶️ Full Seahawks-Cardinals Recap

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Darnold, 28, signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks in free agency this past offseason on the heels of a resurgent campaign with the Minnesota Vikings.

After bouncing around between the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, Darnold looked like a bust in relation to being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, but the outlook completely changed last season.

Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record, and he set new career marks by completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.

When the Vikings made the decision to go with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy as their starter in 2025, they allowed Darnold to leave in free agency, and the Seahawks are reaping the benefits.

Behind the strong play of Darnold, the Seahawks are off to a 3-1 start and potentially trending toward their first playoff appearance since 2022.

Through four games, Darnold is completing 70.0 percent of his passes for a league-high 905 yards, plus five touchdowns and two interceptions.

On Thursday night, Darnold was highly efficient, going 18-of-26 for 242 yards with one touchdown and no picks.

He was at his best on the final drive of the game after the Cardinals scored a touchdown and tied the score at 20-20 with just 28 seconds remaining in regulation.

A 22-yard completion from Darnold to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba put the Seahawks in field goal range, and kicker Jason Myers nailed one from 52 yards out as time expired, giving Seattle a three-point victory over an NFC West rival.

There were legitimate question marks surrounding whether Darnold's 2024 season in Minnesota was a fluke, but based on what he has done thus far in Seattle, it is looking more and more like he is the real deal.