Insider expands on why Sam Darnold chose Seahawks over Steelers

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated previously revealed that quarterback Sam Darnold "really did love the idea of playing for (Pittsburgh Steelers head coach) Mike Tomlin and (offensive coordinator) Arthur Smith" before the Seattle Seahawks signed Darnold to a "three-year deal that would give him $37.5M in Year 1, a $55M injury guarantee and early-vesting roster bonuses of $15M and $10M in February 2026 and ’27."

It appears money isn't the only reason that Darnold left the Minnesota Vikings for the Seahawks rather than for the Steelers. 

"What appealed about the Seahawks to Darnold," Breer wrote for a mailbag published on Wednesday, "...was that he’d legitimately get time to prove himself as a viable long-term option for a team. There was doubt he’d get that with the Minnesota Vikings, and negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers gave him no assurance of it, either. The Seahawks are going to give him every chance to be that guy."

Breer's update regarding the Vikings isn't all that surprising since it seems they'll want only a short-term option if they determine this spring that 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy needs more time to develop coming off the full meniscus repair he underwent last summer. However, the Steelers were first linked with Darnold weeks before they let Justin Fields reach free agency. Pittsburgh reportedly was unwilling to promise Fields the starting job for Week 1 of the 2025 season. 

Meanwhile, the Steelers are waiting to learn if they'll have a chance to sign Aaron Rodgers in free agency before the 2025 NFL Draft. Tomlin, Steelers general manager Omar Khan and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth had dinner with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on Tuesday. 

If ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. is right about signal-callers Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart all being top-nine picks, Pittsburgh may have to consider grabbing Milroe at selection No. 21. 

Multiple analysts have suggested throughout March that Darnold will flop with the Seahawks as he did in his final two games as a member of the Vikings. Perhaps Tomlin and Co. shared such concerns, and that's why Darnold was given "no assurance" he'd "get time to prove himself as a viable long-term option for" the Steelers.