Even though Sam Darnold had a career year in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, it appears it wasn’t enough for Tom Brady to want to bring the quarterback to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Brady, who is a minority owner of the Raiders, “was not in favor” of signing Darnold this offseason, The Athletic’s Michael Silver reported, who added Brady’s “opinion held great sway” in the decision.
Darnold went on to sign a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, while the Raiders signed Geno Smith to a two-year extension in April, a month after trading for the quarterback.
The first six seasons of Darnold’s career were disappointing, especially his first three years with the New York Jets before two failed seasons with the Carolina Panthers. But after 10 appearances with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, it was enough for the Vikings to take a chance on the 2018 first-round draft pick.
Darnold turned in a 14-3 season as a starter en route to a Wild Card appearance before the Vikings were eliminated.
As for the Raiders, locking up Smith with an extension also reunited him with coach Pete Carroll. The two worked together in Seattle and Carroll helped revive Smith’s career.