When Kirk Cousins walked in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings’ future at the quarterback position was a giant question mark. The Vikings drafted a potential franchise quarterback in J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and brought in veteran Sam Darnold as competition in training camp. It was thought when camp began that McCarthy would win the job, but even before suffering a knee injury that ended his rookie campaign before it started, O’Connell chose Darnold as his Week 1 starter.
The decision was one that not only boosted the Vikings’ playoff hopes, but rejuvenated Darnold’s NFL career. Through 13 games this season, the Vikings are 11-2, a position not many believed they would be in with Darnold at the helm all season long due to McCarthy’s injury. However, he quickly showed the football world why the New York Jets took him third overall out of USC in 2018 – he’s a straight baller that’s in the right scheme.
But one Vikings legend presents a harsh reality for those fans hoping Darnold will return after this season (he’s only a one-year deal). Vikings great tight end Kyle Rudolph told Fox News Digital that he believes it’s going to be really tough for Darnold to return, and the reason why is Sam’s earned himself a legitimate quarterback contract in this league.
Rudolph likened the situation to Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as he earned himself a three-year deal worth $100 million this past offseason after leading them to the playoffs in 2023. The difference between Tampa Bay and Minnesota is the former didn’t have a high draft pick spent on a quarterback when the season began.
“If you’re Sam Darnold, you came to Minnesota and played your one-year, $10 million contract. You now deserve that big deal,” Rudolph said. “I don’t think it’s in the Vikings’ best interest when you look at the rest of their roster. They can’t afford to go out and spend $40 million on a quarterback. That’s why Kirk [Cousins] is in Atlanta right now and not the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.”
Unfortunately, it’s a part of the game that’s tough, and you got to make decisions based on the salary cap and you’re paying a receiver $35 million. It’s really hard to pay the best receiver in football, who deserves every dime he’s got, and then turn around and pay a quarterback $40-plus million a year.
Darnold has developed quite the rapport with Justin Jefferson, who is now the highest-paid receiver in the NFL after receiving his extension worth $35 million over the next five seasons. Darnold is comfortable, poised and a true leader on game day, which is everything you want in a quarterback. But, as you’ve likely heard many times, this is a business, and Darnold has made the decision very tough for Minnesota moving forward.
Until that decision is made, Rudolph will continue rooting for Darnold, who has bounced around the Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers until he finally found a home where he can thrive. Perhaps it’s where he ultimately wants to stay, but will the contract match his worth?