Report: Sam Darnold Liked Idea of Playing for Steelers
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold liked the idea of playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Seattle was more enticing. Darnold ended up signing a three-year, $100.5 million deal to head to the Pacific Northwest.
“Seattle beat out the Steelers (Darnold really did love the idea of playing for Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith for the quarterback’s services) with the three-year deal that would give him $37.5 million in Year 1, a $55 million injury guarantee, and early-vesting roster bonuses in of $15 million and $10 million in February 2026 and ’27,” Breer wrote.
Darnold’s reported three-year, $100.5 million dea is essentially a one-year, $37.5 million contract. Seattle can move on after the 2025 season with no dead money, as long as Darnold is healthy and passes a physical, per Over The Cap. The only guarantee Darnold has beyond this season is a $17.5 million injury guarantee, which becomes fully guaranteed the week after the Super Bowl.
Darnold, who had a career resurgence last season in Minnesota helped the Vikings to a 14-3 record, but he struggled in Minnesota’s final two games. That could’ve been why the Steelers didn’t want to pay Darnold what Seattle offered. But given the circumstances and the Steelers still in search for a quarterback, paying Darnold might have been Pittsburgh’s best option.
Darnold passed for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns during his lone season with the Vikings.
Darnold was taken No. 3 overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft. He didn’t pan out there and bounced around to Carolina and San Francisco before landing in Minnesota. Rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered an injury that kept him out all of last season, allowing Darnold to step in and take the reins for Kevin O’Connell’s offense.