Vikings legend Sam Darnold says he’s moving forward despite a poor end to the season

It could be argued that Sam Darnold has overextended himself in his last couple of games, but one Minnesota Vikings legend says Darnold has done enough to remain the team’s starting quarterback.

Through the first 16 games, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft rewrote history, throwing for 4,153 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 68.1% of his passes. All of these numbers were career highs to date.

But in the final two games — one against the top seed and the other in the playoffs — he threw for just one touchdown and 411 yards, leading the offense to just 18 points.

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Darnold looked in those final two games before arriving in Minnesota, and now the team is calling for a move to JJ McCarthy, the quarterback they selected with the 10th pick last year.

But former Vikings running back Chuck Foreman thinks Darnold has done enough to remain a starter.

“The guy comes into the league, he’s drafted by a team with no talent, he gets drafted. He goes to another team, he’s got no talent, he’s overrated. Then he goes to San Francisco, a winning team behind the coach. He shows him the way … and he comes here with Kevin, and he takes them to another level. ,” Foreman told Kickstarter. “The Ricky Cobb Show.”

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts during the first quarter at US Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Baker/Imag Images)

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Foreman shifted the blame for the two losses to Minnesota’s offensive line instead of Darnold, who, he said, was helpless against the Lions and Rams.

“The pressure that he’s had, I only see one or two other quarterbacks that could be any escapes with that, and that’s Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen,” Foreman added.

I’m signing him off, hoping they can both come together in the middle. I understand the financial part, but I hope Sam understands that his career is renewed here. And it has a following here. Make adjustments next season. But I think he should be.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, center right, hug after a game Oct. 24, 2024, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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Darnold is a free agent after the season and is a candidate for the franchise tag. His previous highs in yards and touchdowns against the team that drafted him in 2019 were 3,024 and 19, respectively.

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