Jets fans won’t like to hear it, but another one of their former quarterbacks has found his groove outside of the Meadowlands.
On Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s “Get Up,” former NFL linebacker Will Compton heaped praise upon Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.
“Sam Darnold deserves more credit as being one of the better or the best quarterbacks in the NFL,” Compton said, via X/Twitter. “You just go back since 2024, he’s 17-4 as a starter, most game-winning drives, tied with Patrick Mahomes. In 2024, (he) was number two in under pressure passer rating, only to (Joe Burrow), over 70% completion rate of passes 10 yards or more, we can go on and on. I love Sammy D, the way he’s operating right now in Seattle. Sneaky, tough.”
Darnold was the Jets’ first-round pick (No. 3 overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in New York before being traded to the Carolina Panthers for a 2021 sixth-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick in 2022.
In the 38 games with the Jets, Darnold completed 59.8% of his passes for 8,097 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 39 interceptions.
Darnold was impressive through Week 17 last season. That’s when he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-2 record, throwing for 4,153 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for a 106.4 passer rating.
After that, he wasn’t quite the same.
He played his worst game in Week 18’s loss to the Detroit Lions, where he went 18-for-41 throwing, a season-worst 43.9% completion percentage, for 166 yards.
Darnold followed that up with another lopsided, 29-7 loss in the NFC wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams. He was more efficient this time, posting a 62.5% completion percentage on 245-yard passing. But he only mustered one touchdown (and one interception) for a 77.6 passer rating.
His 2024-25 campaign with the Vikings earned him a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks, where he’s proving last season wasn’t a fluke.
He’s 3-1 in through Week 4 and has thrown for 905 yards with a career-high 70% completion percentage, including five touchdowns and two interceptions.
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