By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Then-Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold was benched in the middle of a 25-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 7 of the 2021 season. A reporter asked him after the game if he was “embarrassed,” in reference to head coach Matt Rhule saying he did not want to embarrass anyone with the decision.
The former third overall pick could see his career ending within five years.
Darnold moved on to San Francisco after two seasons in Carolina, starting only one game for the 49ers in 2023. But his career took a major turn in 2024, when he elevated his game for the Minnesota Vikings. He passed for career-high marks in yards (4,319 yards) and touchdowns (35) on his way to a 14-3 record and a playoff berth.
He followed that season up with another 4,000-yard regular season for the Seattle Seahawks, who finished with a 14-3 record.
Some were questioning his ability to perform in the playoffs, looking on the Vikings’ 27-9 loss to the Rams in the wild-card round. Darnold answered with 346 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC championship game. He is now one win away from being crowned a Super Bowl champion.
Darnold is just the latest chapter in a story that has been developing in the NFL for the past decade. Teams see the immediate success of Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson and expect their guys to follow the exact same timeline.
Baker Mayfield was one of the most successful Cleveland Browns quarterbacks of the 21st century. He was traded by Cleveland in 2022 for a fourth-round pick, was promptly put on waivers a few weeks later, then joined the Rams the same season. Mayfield, looking like his career was waning, led a 98-yard game-winning drive against the Raiders that put his name back on the radar.
Mayfield took the reins in Tampa Bay in 2023. In his three seasons with the Buccaneers, he has 95 touchdowns and two Pro Bowl selections.
Guys like Darnold and Mayfield prove that NFL teams should not be giving up on their young quarterbacks. They should be giving them the time and resources to develop and become the quarterback they want.
This trend, along with college football becoming more lucrative for players with NIL money, is pushing some quarterbacks to stay at the collegiate level until they are certain they can compete and retain a starting role in the pros.
One example is Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, who was projected to be a top-two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The 20-year-old Moore announced on Jan. 14 that he will be returning to the Ducks in 2026 because his “life has just been about being as most prepared as [he] can for any situation.”
This movement by NFL teams will continue to serve as a warning for college quarterbacks: it’s best to develop into a pro-level player before being thrust into the fight for a starting job.
