Darnold Shines as Seahawks Punch Super Bowl Ticket

Sam Darnold spent much of the regular season fueling Seattle’s march to the NFC’s No. 1 seed, yet skepticism lingered about whether he could perform under playoff pressure. After Sunday night, those doubts quieted. Darnold delivered a poised, three-touchdown performance with no turnovers in a 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams, sending the Seahawks to Super Bowl LX and completing one of the most compelling redemption arcs in recent NFL memory.

A Signature Performance on the Biggest Stage

Playing through a left oblique injury for a second straight week, Darnold completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and controlled a game in which Seattle’s top-ranked defense showed uncharacteristic vulnerability. From there, he attacked vertically, connecting repeatedly with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who finished with 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, former Rams Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp and Jake Bobo added touchdown grabs, allowing Seattle to maintain control against a Rams offense that racked up 479 yards behind Matthew Stafford’s 374 passing yards.

The defining play came late in the fourth quarter. With Los Angeles facing fourth-and-goal from the Seattle 4, Devon Witherspoon broke up Stafford’s end-zone throw to preserve the lead. The Rams never saw the ball again until seconds remained, and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the game’s final snap.

A Narrative Flip for Darnold

This postseason run carries personal weight for the Seahawks quarterback. One year after stumbling in his playoff debut with Minnesota, Darnold not only guided Seattle to its first Super Bowl in 11 seasons but also earned a $500,000 incentive tied to a championship berth. His rise follows years of turbulence after being drafted third overall by the Jets in 2018, traded to Carolina in 2021, and moved twice more before landing with Seattle. This season, he became the first player in league history to win 14-plus games in consecutive years with different teams. The performance also contrasted sharply with two turnover-ridden regular-season meetings against the Rams, punctuating a late-season stretch in which he has gone three straight games without giving the ball away.

For Mike Macdonald, Seattle’s second-year head coach, the win validated his quarterback. “He shut a lot of people up tonight,” Macdonald said after the game. Smith-Njigba echoed the sentiment, calling Darnold a player the city believes in and a leader worthy of the moment.

Seattle Heads to Super Bowl LX

Seattle will face the New England Patriots on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium, adding intrigue to a matchup that recalls Super Bowl XLIX and Darnold’s own early-career “seeing ghosts” moment against New England. The Seahawks enter with a rising offensive core and a defense capable of game-changing plays, even on nights when it bends. Kenneth Walker III added 111 yards and a touchdown on 23 touches, filling the void left by Zach Charbonnet’s injury, while Seattle’s secondary overcame explosive plays from Nacua and Davante Adams to seal the game late.

For the Seahawks, it is a chance to secure the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy. For Darnold, it is an opportunity to finalize a transformation that once felt unlikely, rewriting a career defined for years by unmet expectations. As he stood postgame, understated as ever, Darnold called the night “amazing,” then quickly shifted to improvement, noting throws and situations he still wants back. For a quarterback who has spent years chasing belief, the biggest game of his career now awaits.