Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million “prove-it” deal in March 2024 with Minnesota, became the starter for a team expected to be one of the worst in the NFC and likely to turn to rookie first-rounder JJ McCarthy, who missed the season with an injury, at some point.

Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold took the blame for his team's failures down the stretch of last season.

Sam Darnold knows he began his Minnesota Vikings stint with a bang and ended it with a whimper last season. The 28-year-old quarterback had a breakout campaign in Minnesota following six uninspiring seasons to start his NFL career.