At the beginning of the week leading up to Super Bowl 60 between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, Opening Night was marked by an iconic moment from Sam Darnold, after the quarterback decided to sing “Ham for Sam” alongside a crowd that was present at the venue.
Sam Darnold Did Not Hide His Happiness With His Current Career Moment
This moment (via SportsCenter) was only possible thanks to the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” team, as Darnold was presented with several gifts by Guillermo. The QB quickly put on a giant plastic ham hat, then raised his fist, and it was at this moment that Guillermo led the crowd in singing in honor of Darnold.
“No, no, no, you guys are good. You didn’t need to do that. That’s really great. Thank you, you didn’t need to do that.”, said Darnold, who seemed embarrassed by the moment when he was in the spotlight of the entire world press that had gathered at that moment.
Darnold Celebrates Great Season With Seahawks in Pursuit of Super Bowl
This fun moment may have seemed small in light of the importance of a Super Bowl, but it was certainly excellent for Darnold, who is consolidating a turnaround in a career often marked by uncertainty and discreet stints with four different franchises.
Darnold (who ranks No. 13 in the PFSN NFL QB Impact metric with a C+ grade) led the Seahawks to the NFC’s best regular season record at 14-3, with 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
“Ham for Sam!” 🍖
This moment during Sam Darnold’s press conference 😂 pic.twitter.com/7z0J7egkOM
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 3, 2026
In addition, the QB had a historic performance against the Los Angeles Rams, throwing for 346 yards and 3 TDs in a 31-27 victory, even while dealing with an oblique injury that limited his practice time.
The 28-year-old QB experienced a moment of absolute ecstasy with the fans after the victory that secured the team’s place in the Super Bowl, with his name being chanted throughout the stadium that night.
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With the NFC Championship victory, he will become the first QB from the class of 2018 (which includes Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson) to start a Super Bowl.
To cap off a great season perfectly, Darnold is preparing to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60, becoming the first quarterback from the select class of the 2018 Draft to start a decisive league game. His story of overcoming adversity has become one of the season’s central themes, symbolizing that it is always possible to rewrite one’s own destiny.
