Sam Darnold continues to change teams and is on his fifth NFL team in eight years. However, he earned a massive and his biggest payday this season after signing with the Seattle Seahawks, thanks to a resurgent year in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings.
Sam Darnold’s Contract and Salary
Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks in free agency this offseason. The deal is structured in such a way that all the guaranteed money comes in Year 1 via base salary: $37.5 million with the Seahawks essentially having “2 team options at $31.5m APY in 2026 and 2027.”
This is a massive increase in Darnold’s annual salary compared to last season, when he earned just $10 million from the Vikings. However, he is still underpaid compared to top quarterbacks in the league, with the 10th-highest-paid QB, Jalen Hurts, earning $51 million annually.
Darnold is on his fifth NFL team after previous stints with the New York Jets (who drafted him No. 3 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft), the Carolina Panthers, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Vikings.
Last season, playing under Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell and alongside Justin Jefferson, Darnold posted 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. However, on PFSN’s QB+ metric, he ranked 12th, just a few spots ahead of Geno Smith (and between New Orleans Saints’ Derek Carr and Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love).
Darnold’s Career Earnings and Net Worth
Darnold has earned $65,253,948 from his NFL contracts alone, and his net worth is estimated to be roughly $30 million. If he completes his three years in Seattle, Darnold’s career earnings will jump to a massive $165,753,948, and his net worth will likely triple.
Darnold’s initial four-year contract with the Jets paid him $30 million, including a signing bonus of $20 million. The Panthers exercised their fifth-year option for $18 million before he signed a one-year deal with the Panthers, which paid him $5.5 million. He was on a $10 million deal with the Vikings last season.
In addition to his NFL deals, Darnold has also partnered with companies and made some investments. In his rookie year, he partnered with KonaRed Hawaiian Coffee and publicly invested in Therabody for athlete recovery in 2021.
Darnold made the most of his opportunity in Minnesota, playing the best football of his career in a contract year. Now, he seems poised for a new chapter of his football life in Seattle, where he is expected to be the starting QB ahead of Drew Lock and third-round pick Jalen Milroe.
Preview for Chiefs vs. Seahawks Preseason Week 2 Game
The Chiefs come into preseason Week 2 after a 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Patrick Mahomes threw just one pass in that game, and he is not expected to play on Friday night against the Seahawks.
In the two-time NFL MVP’s absence, Gardner Minshew and Bailey Zappe will have opportunities to solidify their spots as the QB2 and QB3 on the team, respectively. The Chiefs begin their regular season in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Seahawks tied their first preseason game 23-23 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Sam Darnold did not play last week, but Jalen Milroe got some valuable playing time to showcase his talent.
The rookie quarterback completed 6 of 10 passes for 61 yards and rushed for 38 yards on three carries. Drew Lock, who is currently the Seahawks’ QB2, threw for 147 yards, one touchdown, and an interception last week against the Raiders.
