Ahead of the massive Week 11 clash between NFC West foes, the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, three-time Super Bowl champion Tedy Bruschi voiced what he believes is Sam Darnold’s fatal flaw.
Bruschi’s concern is simple and rooted in a familiar issue that has followed Darnold since his first days in the league: turnovers.
Does Sam Darnold Have a Fatal Flaw?
Entering the upcoming meeting with the Rams, a game that has huge playoff implications, with both teams sitting with identical 7-2 records, Bruschi is interested to see how Darnold will protect the football.
“Sam Darnold still has a fatal flaw: He turns the football over.”
Alex Smith and Tedy Bruschi share their thoughts on the highly anticipated matchup between the Rams and Seahawks 👀 pic.twitter.com/OpPo7xz4J2
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 16, 2025
“Sam Darnold still has a fatal flaw; he turns the football over.” Bruschi said on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show.
Darnold enters the matchup with 10 turnovers on 251 offensive plays. In fact, he currently owns the second-worst turnover percentage in the league this season. Six of those giveaways have come via interceptions, a high number that would be far more troubling for a passer with far higher volume. For a team in a tight division race, those numbers are a bit concerning, even with how well Darnold has been playing throughout the season.
“He is one of the worst in the league in terms of taking care of the football, and this is what he has to show. If he can be that quarterback in the fourth quarter of a game when it matters and the season is on the line, he’s going to be it. He’s gonna show me something today if he can get this win.” Bruschi completed his monologue, stating how, in his eyes, this is a prove-it game for Darnold.
Bruschi’s point wasn’t just that the turnovers exist, but when they happen. Darnold’s giveaways have repeatedly arrived at the worst possible times.
Still, the narrative could shift in a hurry if Darnold and the Seahawks walk out of Los Angeles with a statement win. While the turnovers are real, they haven’t defined the Seahawks’ season, far from it.
According to PFSN’s Offensive Impact Metrics, the Seahawks hold a score of 86.7 (B), which is fifth best across the NFL. The offensive line and run game deserve credit, but there’s no question Darnold has been a central force behind their surge into Super Bowl contention.
Darnold ranks as the second-best QB in the NFL, according to PFSN’s QB Impact metrics, which give Darnold a score of 89.0 (B+).
READ MORE: PFSN’s 2025 NFL Midseason Awards: Predicting the MVP, DPOY, OPOY, Coach of the Year, and More
The question now is whether he can maintain that level while shedding the flaw Bruschi believes could haunt him. Week 11 is an opportunity not just for the Seahawks to separate themselves from the competition in the NFC, but for Darnold to rewrite the conversation around his season and, quite frankly, his career.
The resurgence of Darnold as an NFL quarterback has been inspiring to watch, and now he gets a real chance to put the defending NFC West champions on notice, while shedding this so-called fatal flaw.