Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell appeared to shut the door on quarterback Sam Darnold returning to the team after their playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.
Darnold had a disappointing performance, being sacked nine times and going 25-of-40 for 245 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception in the 27-9 loss.
When asked about Darnold’s future with the team, O’Connell said, “I just want to say it’s very important we all think about Sam’s body of work, what he was able to do this year, when not many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins. It did not work out in the end, and I think Sam would be the first one to tell you, could he have played better tonight? I’m sure he would tell you he could have. Could I have coached better? I’m positive I could have.”
The Vikings signed Darnold in March before drafting J.J. McCarthy, but Darnold suffered a torn meniscus in training camp and missed the entire season. However, he returned in 2024 and surprisingly led the team to 14 wins, passing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.
The two weeks leading up to the season finale were the toughest for Darnold, who lost to the Detroit Lions and then suffered a blowout loss to the Rams. O’Connell lamented the lack of offense in the final two weeks of the season, citing that the team lost to only two teams all season.
With J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings, it appears unlikely that Darnold will return to the team for the 2025 season. The Vikings will have to decide whether to go with McCarthy and a veteran backup or keep Darnold around until McCarthy develops.