Seahawks QB Sam Darnold makes big admission about lackluster Jets tenure

Shortly after quarterback Sam Darnold helped the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, Darnold acknowledged that he felt he "could’ve done a lot more" while with the New York Jets from 2018-20. 

During a recent appearance on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" program, Darnold reflected on a Jets tenure that was filled with more lows than highs.

What kept Sam Darnold "upright" amid worst days of Jets tenure

"I'd be lying to you if I said that there wasn't any doubt in my mind," Darnold said about his interesting NFL journey, per Fox Sports. "There was a little bit of doubt, you know, throughout those tough times in New York, but…I had great teammates [and] great coaches that believed in me in New York. That's what really kept me upright."

One could argue that the beginning of the end of Darnold's time with the Jets was when he famously saw "ghosts" during a game against none other than the Patriots. The Jets eventually traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers after the 2020 season, and he became somewhat of a journeyman before he found success as the Minnesota Vikings' starter during the 2024 campaign. 

Most recently, Darnold went 14-3 in his first campaign with the Seahawks. He later completed 19-of-38 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown in the Super Bowl LX matchup that was dominated by the Seattle defense. 

Sam Darnold still has love for the Jets despite all that went wrong

One could understand if Darnold wanted to verbally dunk on the teams that gave up on him earlier in his career now that he has hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy. He instead has routinely gone down a different route during his post-Super Bowl media tour. 

"I love all the people [and] all the relationships that I built there, because if it weren't for those relationships, I don't know if I'd be the person or the player that I am today," Darnold added about his three-season stint with the Jets.