Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold‘s next destination in the NFL is to be determined.
The 27-year-0ld quarterback underwent a career rebirth in 2024, earning his first Pro Bowl nod to the tune of 4,135 yards passing and 35 touchdowns in the regular season.
Darnold is considered the top quarterback eligible for free agency in March. And with a dozen quarterback-needy teams and a shallow upcoming draft class, Darnold should garner plenty of interest in free agency.
On January 24, Darnold posted a photo on Instagram with a message wrapping up the 2024 season that fans largely saw as a farewell to Minnesota.
“Year 7… So grateful for my teammates, coaches and the entire organization,” Darnold wrote. “We created memories and relationships that will last a lifetime and we got to do it in front of the best fanbase in the world #SKOL.”
Darnold’s message surfaced as the top trending post for Vikings fans on Reddit. Shared with the caption “Sounds like goodbye,” the post garnered a fanfare of messages in support of Darnold.
Vikings Fans React to Sam Darnold’s Potential Farewell to Vikings
GettySam Darnold #14 and head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings react after a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons.
The unanimous sentiment on Reddit in response to Darnold’s message was support for him for reinventing his career and hopefully garnering a lucrative contract.
“Good guy. Has plenty of money. It’ll work out for him,” one fan wrote.
While there was a share of negative responses, citing Darnold’s struggles in his final two games of the season, fans were unified that Darnold brought Minnesota one of its most exciting seasons in recent memory.
“By far my favorite Vikings qb I’ve watched to date,” another fan wrote. “It hurt the way it ended but I thank him for making our retooling season a genuinely competitive year. Best of luck to you Darnold.”
Darnold’s 35 passing touchdowns rank second in franchise history for a single season — behind only Daunte Culpepper’s 39 touchdowns in 2004. He became the first Vikings quarterback to post 13 games with a passer rating of 100.0 or higher in a single season.
His 14 wins are the most in a single season by any Vikings quarterback and the most by any quarterback in their first year with a team.
“If you’re a true long-haul Vikings fan you’re lying if you didn’t say this was one of the most exciting seasons of the last 30 years,” a Reddit commenter wrote. “Yeah we’re still without a ring – but 2022, 2017, 2012, 2009, 1998. All great “vintages” of Vikings football. Add 2024.”
Most importantly, Darnold offered a Vikings fan base hope after rookie J.J. McCarthy went down with a season-ending knee injury. Minnesota’s over/under win total for the preseason was set a just 6.5 wins — a mark the Darnold-led Vikings smashed by midseason en route to an unexpected playoff berth.
“I’m genuinely happy for him. He might not have been the QB we need but he gave all me and all the vikings fans I knew a fun season when we expected a dark one,” a fan wrote. “I hope wherever he ends up he can develop even more.”
Sam Darnold Next Teams Odds
Entering the offseason, McCarthy is the betting favorite to be the starting quarterback for the Vikings with -350 odds, per BetOnline. Darnold’s odds are +220, an implied probability of 31.3%.
The Las Vegas Raiders are considered the frontrunners for Darnold if he does not return to Minnesota with +200 odds to be his next team.
Here’s the full breakdown from BetOnline:
- Raiders (+200)
- Giants (+400)
- Steelers (+650)
- Saints (+700)
- Jets (+700)
- Seahawks (+1200)
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