Sam Darnold's breakout regular season may not be enough to earn him an extension from the Minnesota Vikings without playoff success, according to a text an NFL player agent sent The Athletic's Mike Sando.
"Sam Darnold will be a Viking next year unless he bombs in the playoffs," the agent wrote, according to Sando.
After serving struggling with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers and serving as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, Darnold signed with the Vikings as a bridge quarterback for 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy.
Following McCarthy's season-ending injury, Darnold recorded his most successful NFL starting campaign while developing strong connections with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportSAM DARNOLD ESCAPES THE RUSH AND FINDS JUSTIN JEFFERSON FOR THE 52-YARD TD 😱 <br><br>WHAT A PLAY 🔥 <br><br>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>) <br> <a href="https://t.co/WpPDLExFuJ">pic.twitter.com/WpPDLExFuJ</a>
Darnold has led the Vikings to a 13-2 start while completing 67 percent of his passes for 3,776 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He has also added 15 carries for 205 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell recently expressed his confidence that Darnold can continue his strong play through the final two weeks of the season, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
"When people have decided that you can't play in their own minds, sometimes instead of it being a product of a guy deserving the credit for playing really good football, it's always just, When's it going to go the other way?" O'Connell said, per Breer. "I don't think that's fair. I don't think that's fair to him. He came here for the opportunity. He came here to be a Minnesota Viking, play in our offense, with the players around him. And I have a blast coaching him.
"I've got a lot of confidence in him. There's really not much more to it than that."
The Vikings could potentially clinch the top seed in the NFC, thanks in part to the Washington Commanders' upset Week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The path to the top involves Darnold and the Vikings triumphing over the Green Bay Packers next week and defeating the Detroit Lions in Week 18.
After recording multiple winning seasons without playoff success behind former QB1 Kirk Cousins, the Vikings could be looking to see Darnold win in January before offering him a longer-term commitment, especially with McCarthy expected to return from his knee injury next season.
