Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks looks to the crowd following a touchdown during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
NFC Championship Legacy Game: Sure the winner of Sunday's Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks game is going to the Super Bowl to face the winner of the New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos. But there is more at stake here. Additional story lines include the legacies of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.
Let's start with Stafford. He tolled in misery in Detroit after the Lions made him the number one overall pick out of Georgia in 2009. He lost a lot of games there and took a beating. Despite that he gained a reputation as a tough player with amazing arm talent. Many wondered how he would do if he were actually on a good team. In 2021 we found out. The Lions granted his wish to be traded and he headed to Los Angeles to play for the Rams. And he quickly won a Super Bowl. Now he has a chance to join a short list of quarterbacks to possibly win a second Super Bowl. And at age 37 he arguably had his best season ever and will likely be named the league's MVP next week.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP LEGACY GAME
The lowly New York Jets made Darnold the 3rd over all pick out of USC in the 2018 draft. That was a disaster. The Jets are a disaster. Stops at Carolina and San Francisco were unremarkable. Then he caught fire with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. They won 14 games. But Darnold led the Vikings to big losses in a season ending tilt to the Lions that cost them the division and the number one seed and a quick exit in the playoffs. After such a great regular season the stark contrast in big games at the end enforced the thought that he was tight, or choked, or could not win a big game.
Then, with Seattle in 2025 he led his team to 14 wins again! Only Darnold and Tom Brady have won 28 games over a two season span. A win vs the Rams and a trip to the Super Bowl would go a long way to dispel his reputation of failing in big games.
NFL Championship Legacy Game: For the latest NFL talk and analysis tune in each weekday to Craig Shemon and Company from 2-6 pm on ESPN Southwest Florida.
