Once upon a time, New York Jets fans dreamed of this day for Sam Darnold.
The day has arrived for the veteran quarterback, but instead of him wearing a Jets uniform, he will be suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks as he goes for his first Super Bowl championship on Sunday.
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Darnold, who was selected No. 3 overall by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft, came with the hope and expectation that he would become their franchise quarterback.
But it didn’t work out.
Darnold struggled over his first three NFL seasons with the Jets from 2018-20. He was inconsistent, caused too many turnovers, and didn’t win enough games.
Perhaps the low point of Darnold’s Jets career came during a “Monday Night Football” game against the Patriots in October 2019.
As the Jets were getting blown out, 33-0, to the Patriots, a microphone caught Darnold saying on the sideline, “I’m seeing ghosts.”
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Darnold, who went 11-of-32 for a career-low 86 yards, with four interceptions and a fumble, later said he meant that it was rough night and that he needed to see the field better.
Sam Darnold’s Jets record as a starter
2018: 4–9
2019: 7–6
2020: 2–10
Total: 13–25
Oct 21, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold (14) reacts on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Jets decided to move on from Darnold, trading him to the Carolina Panthers in April 2021, just ahead of that year’s draft. Darnold finished his Jets career with 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions.
The Jets then selected BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in that 2021 NFL Draft, and as we all know, that didn’t work out either.
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Sam Darnold’s NFL career reaches new heights with Seahawks
Vagabond quarterback Sam Darnold has his team one win away from its second-ever Super Bowl title.
Meanwhile, Darnold’s career was resurrected with a breakout 2024 season as the Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback. This season, he led the Seahawks to the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a Super Bowl 60 appearance against the New England Patriots.
The Jets didn’t project this type of career for Darnold, but now he’s showing them − and the rest of the NFL − what he’s capable of doing.
And now he gets the opporunity to bring home the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 60.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Why did Sam Darnold leave NY Jets? A look at his NFL career