The Minnesota Vikings originally brought in Sam Darnold to serve as a bridge between Kirk Cousins and rookie J.J. McCarthy. They believed his strong arm and starting experience would be enough to run a top-level offense until McCarthy was ready to play.
But Darnold has played so well that he’s looked more like a superstar than just a temporary solution.
“He’s a baller,” said Vikings safety Harrison Smith. “He can make things happen when he needs to. I know there’s an outside narrative about him, but ever since he got here, it felt like this would happen.”
Darnold led the Vikings (10-2) to their fifth straight win, throwing a go-ahead touchdown pass against Arizona last week, just one week after leading an impressive overtime drive to beat Chicago. His success in coach Kevin O’Connell’s system has made him one of the standout players this season, especially after a rough start to his career as the third overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Darnold’s first year in Minnesota has been smoother compared to Kirk Cousins’ first year with the Atlanta Falcons. Last week, in a home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Cousins matched his career high with four interceptions.
“I don’t think anybody can put more pressure on Kirk than he has on himself,” said Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. “He’s carried us through this season when we were figuring out a lot of things on defense. He’s just having a hard time right now. There’s nothing to say he can’t catch fire and light it up like he’s done before.”
The Falcons (6-6) are on a three-game losing streak and will face the Vikings on the road, with both teams still battling for division titles. The quarterback match-up adds extra intrigue, as Cousins is returning to the place where he played for six seasons.
Cousins has a $25 million salary cap hit this season, which is the 11th-highest among quarterbacks. Even if the Falcons decide to move on in 2026, they would still be on the hook for $40 million in 2025.
Darnold’s cap hit this year is just $5 million, ranking 31st. Though he will be a free agent in March, the Vikings structured his contract with void years to spread his cap hit into next season for another $5 million. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick, won’t be ready until next year after surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee from the first preseason game.
Although Darnold has had a couple of tough games this season, the Vikings won those games, and he has bounced back strong, not letting any interceptions affect his decisions in future games.
“He’s kind of found a balance the last few weeks of ‘When is it too risky?’ and ‘When can I take a shot?’” said offensive coordinator Wes Phillips.
The Falcons have seen this progress on tape.
“I think he’s playing free,” said Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates. “It’s not a lot of complicated throws or anything that he’s doing. I just think he’s finally comfortable with himself.”
