Stephen A. Smith Absolutely Roasts Vikings for Letting Sam Darnold Walk to Seattle

Well, well, well. Here we are again with the debate of Sam Darnold, folks. Another day, another Stephen A. Smith hot take that somehow makes perfect sense while simultaneously making you want to throw your remote at the TV. This time, the ESPN firebrand is taking direct aim at the Minnesota Vikings for what might go down as one of the most baffling quarterback decisions in recent memory.

Stephen A. Goes Nuclear on Minnesota’s QB Decision

Listen, I’ve seen some questionable front office moves in my time covering the NFL, but this Vikings situation? It’s got Stephen A. Smith so fired up he’s practically combusting on live television. And honestly? The man has a point that’s sharper than a Vikings fan’s disappointment after another playoff loss.

During his latest First Take rant (because let’s face it, that’s what we tune in for), Smith absolutely torched Minnesota’s decision to let Sam Darnold walk to Seattle while handing the keys to J.J. McCarthy. His frustration was palpable, and frankly, it should be.

“Sam Darnold was playing for [the Vikings] last year,” Smith fired off with that signature intensity we’ve come to expect. “That man threw 35 touchdowns—okay, 35 touchdowns—with 12 interceptions, over 4,300 yards, and you let him walk out the door.”

Now, before you Vikings fans start typing angry comments, let’s pump the brakes and actually look at what Darnold accomplished in Minnesota. The guy who was once the poster child for “NFL bust” suddenly transformed into a legitimate playoff quarterback. We’re talking about 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and a passer rating that made people forget he ever wore a Jets uniform.

Darnold’s Redemption Story Gets the Cold Shoulder

Here’s where things get really spicy. Darnold didn’t just have a decent season—he had a legitimately great one. The former USC product, who many had written off as another first-round quarterback casualty, suddenly looked like he belonged in the conversation with the league’s better signal-callers.

But apparently, that wasn’t enough for Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings brass. They took one look at McCarthy’s college resume and decided, “Yeah, we’re good with the rookie who never threw for 3,000 yards in a single college season.”

Smith couldn’t contain his bewilderment: “J.J. McCarthy, who was the first top-10 quarterback drafted that never threw for 3,000 yards in a season, never rushed for more than 500 yards in a season. That’s never happened before with a top-10 quarterback pick.”

Ouch. That’s the kind of statistical slap that leaves marks.

Seattle Strikes Gold While Minnesota Plays With Fire

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks are probably laughing all the way to the bank. They swooped in and signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal, essentially getting a proven quarterback who just led a team to the playoffs. Not exactly rocket science, right?

The Seahawks didn’t overcomplicate things. They saw a guy who performed at an elite level and thought, “Hey, maybe we should sign that guy instead of gambling on an unproven rookie.” Revolutionary thinking, truly.

The McCarthy Gamble: Bold or Reckless?

Now, let’s be fair to J.J. McCarthy for a hot second. The kid has talent, and his college career at Michigan wasn’t completely without merit. But here’s the thing that’s eating away at Stephen A. and should be keeping Vikings fans up at night: McCarthy has exactly zero NFL experience.

Not “limited” experience. Not “needs to develop” experience. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

O’Connell is essentially betting the franchise on a player who managed just 27 preseason dropbacks. Twenty-seven! I’ve seen high school quarterbacks get more game action in a single season.

The 49ers Connection Nobody’s Talking About

Here’s a delicious irony that makes this whole situation even more frustrating for Minnesota: Darnold’s transformation didn’t happen overnight. His year backing up Brock Purdy in San Francisco was crucial to his development. Kyle Shanahan, who actually worked with Darnold daily, wasn’t surprised by his Minnesota success.

“He got the keys to the team, and to be in that situation also when he had a good, upcoming team that had a lot of talent, that had a good coaching staff, and it was kind of the perfect time for him, and he was so ready for it,” Shanahan explained.

Translation: Darnold was ready to be great, and the Vikings just handed that greatness to their division rival’s conference foe.

Vikings Fans Deserve Better Than This Gamble

Look, I get it. Teams fall in love with potential. They see a young quarterback and think about what he could become rather than appreciating what they already have. But the Vikings aren’t rebuilding—they’re trying to win now with an aging core and a championship window that’s rapidly closing.

Justin Jefferson isn’t getting any younger. The defense has pieces that need maximizing right now, not in two or three years when McCarthy might figure things out. This team was one game away from the NFC Championship, and instead of building on that momentum with a proven commodity, they’re starting over with question marks.

Stephen A. captured this frustration perfectly: “I found myself saying, ‘The faith that you’re showing him, like damn! He has 27 dropbacks in the NFL preseason; that’s it, that’s all you got!’ And you said, ‘To hell with everybody else.'”

The Bottom Line: Minnesota Made a Massive Mistake

At the end of the day, Stephen A. Smith is absolutely right to call out this decision. The Vikings had a quarterback who proved he could elevate their team to playoff heights, and they chose to gamble on uncertainty instead of building on success.

Darnold may not be Tom Brady, but he’s a legitimate starting quarterback who demonstrated he can thrive in the right system. The Vikings had that system, had that success, and had the perfect foundation to build upon.

Instead, they’re rolling the dice on a rookie while watching their former quarterback potentially lead a division rival to success. If that’s not worthy of a Stephen A. Smith rant, I don’t know what is.

The 2025 season will tell the real story, but right now, it looks like Seattle got the better end of this deal while Minnesota is left hoping their gamble pays off. Good luck with that, Vikings fans. You’re going to need it.