Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks.
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So, what's the status of Sam Darnold's contract? The latest on the Seattle Seahawks quarterback from GM John Schneider.
The Seattle Seahawks found a stellar quarterback in Sam Darnold, who took the team all the way to the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 8, and won. The Seahawks wrapped up their 2025-26 season with a 14-3 record, but more importantly, they won the big game. So, what’s the status of the upcoming Sam Darold contract?
The win marked only the second time in the history of the franchise that the Seahawks have taken home a Super Bowl victory, according to franchise research, which made it even better. Now, though, the Seattle Seahawks have to lock Darnold into a big deal, and that will likely cost them.
Some have even though that Seattle wouldn’t renew his contract, if it’s too expensive, but those thoughts went out the window after the Super Bowl win. Ahead of the game, NFL analysts Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano explained why it would be a consideration to not renew Darnold.
“As he gears up for the Super Bowl, remember that Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has a $15 million 2026 roster bonus that becomes fully guaranteed February 13, along with $2.5 million of his 2026 salary,” Fowler and Graziano explain. “The Seahawks are rigid with their veteran contract structures and will not guarantee money outside of the first year, so when he signed with Seattle last offseason, Darnold’s only guaranteed money was his $32 million signing bonus and $5.5 million in 2025 salary and bonuses.”
Darnold has also notched $3 million in incentives and will add another $1 million to that number with a win Sunday, according to research from Over the Cap. But, as Fowler and Graziano explain, the Seahawks will be forced to make a Darnold decision immediately following the Super Bowl.
“If dissatisfied,” they note, “the Seahawks could cut him before Feb. 13 and owe him no more money.”
But, Seattle is obviously satisfied. “The Seahawks will happily pay him that roster bonus and the rest of his non-guaranteed salary for a total of $27.5 million in 2026,” Fowler and Graziano concluded. So, what’s the status of Darnold’s contract negotiations?
Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider Comments on the Sam Darnold Contract Status
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Wednesday, February 25, at NFL Combine, Seahawks general manager John Schneider was asked about Darnold and the player’s contract situation with the team. He was very clear in his response.
Schneider said that he wants Darnold to be with the franchise for a “long time” and left it at that. So, a Sam Darnold contract appears to be a given.
Also, at NFL Combine, Schneider took part in a press conference and talked about the state of the team as it transitions into new ownership.
The State of the Seattle Seahawks As They Transition to New Ownership
According to Josh Alper of Yahoo Sports, Schneider said that during ownership transition, he “anticipates ‘business as usual’ and shared a conversation he had with team owner Jody Allen during his time on the show.”
“I had a great talk with Jody last week,” Schneider said, according to Alper. “It’s all about, like, ‘Hey, let’s go for it. Let’s go win another one.’”
Schneider also told Mike Florio that he plans to talk to Broncos GM George Paton about working through a sale since he did that earlier in his Denver run.