Sam Darnold has connected on 1,443 of his attempted career 2,356 throws for a completion percentage of 61.2%. He’s throwing for 197.4 yards per game. For his career, Darnold has thrown for 16,383 yds with 98 touchdowns and 68 picks. He has a TD percentage of 4.2% and an interception percentage of 2.9%. Since he’s been in the league, he’s been sacked 197 times totaling 1,182 yards lost.
Darnold has thrown for 35 TDs this season while tossing 12 interceptions and his longest completion of the year went for 97 yards. His TD percentage on pass attempts is 6.4% and his interception percentage is 2.2%. He has lost 288 yards while being the victim of a quarterback sack 48 different times. He is averaging 254.1 yards per contest through the air with a 102.5 QB rating. In his 17 contests this year, Darnold has connected on 361 of 545 tries for a total of 4,319 yards.
NFL quarterback Sam Darnold has had quite a journey through his young career. He was highly touted as a top-rated high school prospect and went on to play at the University of Southern California. From there, he was selected third overall in the 2018 NFL draft by the New York Jets. However, since his arrival in the professional league, there have been ups and downs for Darnold. In this article, well take a closer look at his path to the NFL, his rise as a young star, and his eventual fall.
Darnold had an impressive high school career, becoming a 5-star quarterback recruit and the top player in California. He was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, and his impressive senior season at San Clemente High School caught the attention of college recruiters. The USC Trojans were able to secure a commitment from Darnold and he played his college football in Los Angeles.
It didnt take long for Darnold to establish himself as the starting quarterback at USC. He led the team to a Pac-12 championship and Rose Bowl victory in his freshman season. Despite some inconsistencies throughout his college career, Darnold remained a top-rated NFL prospect and was projected as a potential top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
When the New York Jets selected Darnold third overall with the draft, it was met with great excitement and anticipation. The rebuilding Jets had struggled to find a franchise quarterback for years, and many believed that Darnold could be the long-awaited solution. However, his rookie season was inconsistent, as he threw 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and managed just a 4-10 record as a starter. Despite this, there was still hope surrounding Darnold going into his second season.
In his second NFL season, Darnold showed glimpses of brilliance and seemed to be on the verge of putting together an impressive campaign. However, after playing just three games in 2019, he was diagnosed with mononucleosis and was sidelined for five weeks as a result. Upon his return, Darnold struggled to regain his previous form and finished the season with just 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
The Jets continued to struggle in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, with Darnold being sidelined at times due to injuries. With the Jets looking to rebuild their franchise yet again, they traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers before the 2021 season began. Darnold had a decent start to his first season with the Panthers, throwing for 9 touchdowns and just 9 interceptions. He started to show some promise as the team’s leader, but injuries once again got the best of him and he missed the remainder of the season.
Unfortunately, Darnold’s injury troubles continued in 2022, and he missed even more games than before. Despite these setbacks, Darnold still has the potential to be a successful quarterback in the NFL. With the right coaching and support system, he could potentially bounce back and take advantage of his physical tools and raw talent to realize his full potential. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to overcome the obstacles that have plagued him so far, but there is no denying that Sam Darnold has a lot of promise and potential on the football field.
In conclusion, Sam Darnold’s journey through the NFL has been filled with ups and downs. He displayed great promise during his early college years and was a highly sought-after NFL prospect. However, his career has been marked by inconsistency, injury setbacks, and the struggle to find his footing in a league that is always evolving and demands consistency, mental toughness, and a high level of skill. Nevertheless, with the right attitude and support system, there is no reason why Darnold cannot still have a successful NFL career. Only time will tell if he can overcome these obstacles and become the star that many believe he can be.
Ultimately, the lesson partially to be learned here is that an NFL career is a high-stakes game of pressure, endurance, and adaptation. It’s not only about talent, but also about the mental resilience to handle the constant challenges and setbacks that often come with the territory. And if Darnold can find that resilience, focus, and consistency, he could still very well have a bright future ahead of him in the NFL.
