Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is seemingly a fan of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.
After Darnold helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory on Sunday, Lillard took to Instagram to share a video tribute in support of the veteran quarterback's journey.
The ESPN-made clip featured highlights of commentary from early on in his career, which didn't paint a positive picture for his future at the time. Over time, Darnold was able to change the narrative, but not after going through some notable lows.
In 2025, Darnold can comfortably say he silenced his doubters. Playing on a strong Seahawks team, Seattle went into San Francisco and defeated the New England Patriots with a dominant victory. Darnold wasn't the game's MVP, but he's getting his proper credit from fans, to analysts, and even other athletes such as Lillard.
Going from a third-overall pick to the New York Jets, to playing for numerous teams such as the Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and now the Seahawks, Darnold just might secure himself a long-term NFL home at 28.
As for Lillard, he might be feeling motivated by the comeback story. Unlike Darnold, Lillard has consistently been one of the best at his position throughout his NBA career after entering the league as the sixth pick in 2012.
He played most of his career with the Trail Blazers before spending the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. After an Achilles injury, Lillard was waived and decided to sign with the Blazers for a second stint. He's not playing this year, but Lillard is preparing to return with a bang in 2026-2027, hoping to help lead the Blazers to the playoffs for the first time since he was on the team in 2021.
When Lillard played last, he averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists in 58 games with the Bucks. In his final season with the Blazers in 2022-2023, Lillard posted 32.2. points per game, while dishing out 7.3 assists.
The 35-year-old veteran could use all the motivation he can get during his recovery. In supporting Darnold, Lillard gets a good comeback story.
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