Vikings' Kevin O’Connell sends message to Sam Darnold doubters ahead of playoffs

The 13-2 Minnesota Vikings will head into Christmas knowing they could ultimately claim the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed thanks largely to the play of veteran quarterback Sam Darnold. 

Shortly after the Vikings earned a 27-24 victory at the Seattle Seahawks (8-7) on Sunday, Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell sent somewhat of a message to those who are doubting Darnold's ability to win the biggest games on the biggest stages. 

"When people have decided that you can’t play in their own minds, sometimes instead of it being a product of a guy deserving the credit for playing really good football, it’s always just, 'When’s it going to go the other way?' I don’t think that’s fair," O’Connell said about Darnold while speaking with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. "I don’t think that’s fair to him."

The New York Jets originally made Darnold the third overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, but he failed to become a savior for that franchise before he completed a forgettable stint with the Carolina Panthers and before he spent most of the 2023 season as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers. While Darnold wasn't sure this past spring if he'd begin the ongoing campaign as Minnesota's starter, O’Connell had no other choice but to go to the 27-year-old after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in August. 

According to ESPN stats, Darnold ranks fourth in the NFL with a 105.4 passer rating, 13th with a 62.0 adjusted QBR, sixth with 3,776 passing yards and fifth with 32 touchdowns through the air on the season. Additionally, he's shown he can make the type of clutch plays that could result in Minnesota being a tough out during the playoffs.