The good news: Sam Darnold isn't, as some in the media would like you to believe, a "choker."
The bad news: The veteran quarterback has a specific problem that causes him to panic and could ultimately harpoon the Seattle Seahawks' season.
MORE: Seahawks remain NFL's No. 1 team to bet on
Coming off last week's ugly, four-interception performance in a two-point loss to the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams, everyone seems to be dissecting Darnold. Is he a good quarterback that will never be great because of his crunch-time turnovers? Or is he an MVP candidate who simply had a bad game?
ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes refutes the first theory, saying bluntly on her social media that "Sam Darnold isn't a choker." But ...
No, Sam Darnold isn't a "choker." But he does struggle with a specific type of pressure that Chris Shula is very good at drawing up--which Seattle has to figure out down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/aN3uoReKGy
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 19, 2025
She does admit that Darnold struggles when pressured up the middle. Defenses have gotten him off-script and off-target with disguised coverage followed by interior pressure in his face.
"What strikes me is that he is actually still struggling with the same things," Kimes said in comparing Darnold last season in Minnesota to this year. "Games up front and then interior pressure seems to be the combination that is leading him to panic. He has a specific issue right now.. He should've just taken sacks. It's too much of him just trying to make a play."
According to Kimes, the solutions are simple: 1. Get Darnold on the move with designed rollouts outside the pocket. 2. Run the football more effectively.
MORE: Seahawks earn respect in loss to Rams and only slightly drop in NFL Power Rankings
"They've got to find a way to run the ball," Kimes said. "This is a very bad running team."
The Seahawks and their 14th-ranked running game take on the lowly Titans Sunday in Nashville.
Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Seahawks plummet in NFL power rankings after loss to Rams
Mike Macdonald on Seahawks’ message for Sam Darnold
Seahawks PFF grades: JSN on top, Sam Darnold hits bottom
Ernest Jones has scalding quote for critics of Sam Darnold