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The Vikings did not make a strong push to re-sign Sam Darnold.
It was less than an ideal NFL season for the Minnesota Vikings, and it did not make things any easier seeing former quarterback Sam Darnold lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl. The Vikings opted not to re-sign Darnold during the 2025 NFL free agency period, and instead gave the keys to the offense to J.J. McCarthy.
Vikings fans are having serious FOMO seeing Darnold’s success with the Seahawks, but not everyone is piling on Minnesota’s front office. During an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports via Casino.org (who helps players find Underdog promo codes), Vikings legend Cris Carter defended the team’s decision to let Darnold walk last offseason.
“They wanted to kind of re-fortify their defensive line and offensive line,” Carter explained to Heavy Sports. “And they knew Sam was going to command over $30 million, based on winning those 14 regular-season games. So they weren’t going to be able to afford him.
“So, you know, to me, they didn’t have a choice. I didn’t think for $30 million, they’re not going to be able to afford to be able to keep him and make the type of adjustments that they were trying to make (with the rest of the roster).”
Cris Carter Backs Vikings: ‘I Would Say That Sam (Darnold) Would Have Had to Had a Better Finish to the Season’
Ultimately, Darnold signed a three-year, $100 million contract with Seattle. It was quite a raise from the one-year, $10 million deal Darnold played on with the Vikings in 2024.
Carter pointed to Darnold’s struggles down the stretch of 2024 as playing a major factor in Minnesota’s decision. The finances plus the Vikings’ disappointing end to the season proved to be two major factors in the team not making more of a push to re-sign Darnold.
“Well, I’m really happy for Sam, but when you look at the economics of it and J.J. being (a top-10 pick), that kid’s going to play, regardless of what you think,” Carter explained.
“And I would say that Sam would have had to had a better finish to the season, and it wasn’t his fault, it was the team’s fault. I mean, they got smacked by Detroit and by the Rams there late in the season.”
Sam Darnold on Vikings’ Decision to Pivot Back to J.J. McCarthy: ‘That Was a Little Bit of a Tough Pill to Swallow’
Things worked out just fine for Darnold, while it remains to be seen if McCarthy can solidify himself as a franchise quarterback. During a February 24, 2026, interview with Fox’s Colin Cowherd, Darnold admitted that it took some time to understand the Vikings’ decision.
“I understand their thought process of going with the younger kid,” Darnold said of the Vikings during an interview on “The Herd,” per Yahoo Sports. “There’s a lot of potential there, and I think J.J. is going to be a really, really good player in this league.
“… That was a little bit of a tough pill to swallow, but when I really stood back and looked at it from afar, I really understood the decision, and I’m thankful that I landed in Seattle.”