{"id":720670,"date":"2026-02-01T04:23:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T04:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/720670\/"},"modified":"2026-02-01T04:23:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T04:23:19","slug":"sam-darnold-cements-united-ny-jets-fan-loyalty-in-super-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/720670\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Darnold cements united NY Jets fan loyalty in Super Bowl"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the unlikely event that the entire New York Jets fanbase wasn\u2019t rooting for Sam Darnold<\/a> in Super Bowl LX, any thought of that has since been squashed. <\/p>\n

The former Jets quarterback, who\u2019s set to take on Mike Vrabel\u2019s New England Patriots for all the marbles, took the highest of roads when asked about his previous \u2014 and incredibly frustrating \u2014 NFL stops.<\/p>\n

Darnold joined The Dan Patrick Show<\/a> on Friday while keeping it classy about the Jets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe days in New York, the days in Carolina \u2013\u00a0those were part of my journey, and they\u2019re part of my experience \u2013\u00a0and I loved every single part of it,\u201d Darnold said.<\/p>\n

“The days in New York, the days in Carolina \u2013\u00a0those were part of my journey, and they’re part of my experience \u2013\u00a0and I loved every single part of it.” <\/p>\n

\u2013\u00a0Sam Darnold on his NFL journey. pic.twitter.com\/jXrfsFSCxc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) January 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Darnold, 28, started by explaining that he handles tough times a little differently these days than earlier in his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust being able to handle it, at this point in my career, too, even mentally, I feel like I handle it differently, internally, than I used to,\u201d Darnold stated. \u201cI realize that it is a part of the journey, and it is a part of who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

When poked by Patrick to explain what it was like in the more frustrating days, Darnold\u2019s answer was quite revealing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, like, I gave it a little more thought than I had to,\u201d Darnold said. \u201cI paid a little more attention to it. I guess I invested a little more thought into what happened in the. past. \u2018Ok, I threw this pick against this coverage, back in 2019, [so, I would tell myself], I\u2019m not going to do that again.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018No, sometimes mistakes happen.’\u201d<\/p>\n

This is such a revealing answer for Jets fans. Perhaps Darnold\u2019s greatest issue in New Jersey was his tendency to overthink. We broke it down constantly on film. <\/p>\n

Rarely could he move on from a mistake or rub off the slightest of negative plays. At the end of the day, the organization\u2019s coaching failed him. <\/p>\n

Fortunately for Darnold, he went to the right place at the right time in his career, and he took a step back while learning from the right man. San Francisco 49ers\u2019 head coach Kyle Shanahan isn\u2019t just a tremendous offensive architect and quarterbacks coach; he also acutely understands the psychology of the position. <\/p>\n

Shanahan has allowed his thoughts to enter the public domain a time or two, and those who pay attention (and\/or coach the game) understand exactly what he means when he speaks in a quarterback\u2019s language.<\/p>\n

As Andy Reid\u2019s famous quarterback bible states (paraphrasing), \u201cTry to limit turnovers, but never be afraid to make a mistake.\u201d <\/p>\n

Jets fans will certainly be rooting for Sam Darnold in Super Bowl LX when they take on the hated New England Patriots. Hopefully, for those same New York Jets fans, their current coaching staff, led by Aaron Glenn, can flip the mentality to suit today\u2019s version of football. <\/p>\n

If they do, we\u2019d recognize it immediately. Unlike Justin Fields, who was frightened to make mistakes this past season, the Jets\u2019 2026 quarterback will play with much more mental freedom \u2014\u00a0just as Sam Darnold currently is under Klint Kubiak and Mike Macdonald.<\/p>\n