The Minnesota Vikings have found something spectacular in Sam Darnold, and that reality isn’t lost on the quarterback.

Darnold spoke with ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” ahead of a dual NFL broadcast that included the Vikings against the Chicago Bears on ABC and the Las Vegas Raiders hosting the Atlanta Falcons on ESPN in staggered starts.

During that interview, the reporter asked Darnold about his impending free agency, to which the quarterback gave the safest possible answer.

“I’m not focused on that at all,” Darnold responded. “I’m really stuck in the moment.”

And while that may be the truth, even if it happens not to be the whole of it, Darnold made some telling comments following his team’s victory over the Bears.

That win put the Vikings at 12-2, in a tie for first place in the NFC with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, and paved the way for Minnesota to control its own destiny — win out and capture both the NFC North Division title as well as the top playoff seed in the conference and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

When ESPN’s sideline reporter asked Darnold how it felt to be in that position after spending the last several years as a backup bouncing around the league with the brand of “bust” seemingly destined to taint his reputation in perpetuity, the 27-year-old quarterback who always says the safe thing appeared to reveal a glitch in his public relations armor.

Darnold responded that there is “no other group of guys” with whom he would rather be taking this journey and finding this success, which is telling when it comes to his preferences for the offseason.