What more can be said about Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold’s incredible season? His performance this year has been nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s turning heads across the NFL. Heading into the 2024 season, most analysts didn’t expect the Vikings to be contenders. With a projected win total of just 6.5 games, the team was not expected to make much of a splash. But the Vikings have completely shattered those expectations, and they now find themselves on a level similar to the 1999 Rams, a team that similarly outperformed their predicted win total in dramatic fashion.

What’s been even more impressive than the team’s success as a whole is how well Darnold has played, especially when he’s been firing on all cylinders. The Vikings have reached their peak when their quarterback is executing at the highest level, and this was evident in their narrow 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers, where Darnold’s contributions were key in securing the win.

Darnold’s Record-Breaking Season

Sam Darnold is rewriting the record books this year, and his performance is earning him a spot in Vikings’ history. With 36 passing touchdowns this season, Darnold has now surpassed legendary quarterbacks in Minnesota’s history, placing himself second in franchise history for passing touchdowns in a single season. The record is held by Daunte Culpepper, who threw 39 touchdowns during his MVP-caliber 2004 season, but Darnold’s performance is closing in on that mark. Notably, Darnold accomplished the remarkable feat of throwing three five-touchdown games in the first five weeks of the season—a rare and impressive achievement for any quarterback.

Darnold’s success isn’t just in touchdowns; his passer rating numbers are phenomenal. He’s only the second quarterback in Vikings’ history to have 13 games with a passer rating of over 100 in a single season. The only quarterback with more? None other than Aaron Rodgers, who posted this feat during his MVP season in 2020. While passer rating may not be the ultimate metric to define a quarterback’s success, achieving a rating over 100 in 13 games during a season is a testament to Darnold’s consistency and high level of play.

Despite a rough stretch in the middle of the season, Darnold’s play has remained largely consistent. His ability to bounce back from adversity has been a key factor in his team’s overall success. There have been only three games this season where his passer rating fell below 100:

• Week 5 vs. Jets: 50.3
• Week 10 at Jaguars: 48.2
• Week 15 vs. Bears: 74.1

The first of these games, against the Jets, was played under poor weather conditions in London, which caused both quarterbacks to struggle. The Jaguars game, however, was a complete outlier, and the Bears game was affected by a heavy ground game script that limited Darnold’s passing opportunities. Aside from those three games, Darnold has maintained an exceptional level of play, further proving his ability to perform under pressure.

More Records and Milestones

Yet, the most impressive record of all came on Sunday when Darnold became the first quarterback in NFL history to win 14 games in his first season with a new team. This milestone is even more significant considering the transition a quarterback must make when joining a new franchise. Darnold’s leadership and quick adaptation have been pivotal to the Vikings’ success. In addition, Darnold joined Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner as only the second quarterback to win five games in a single month while throwing for over 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in December. This is a feat that highlights Darnold’s exceptional late-season surge, where he consistently carried the team on his shoulders.

MVP Consideration for Darnold

As his records continue to mount, it’s clear that Sam Darnold has earned his place in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. His performance this season has been nothing short of spectacular, and it is worthy of serious consideration. For a quarterback to come into a new system and perform at such a high level—breaking records, leading his team to overachieve, and putting up elite statistics—is a rare occurrence in the NFL. Darnold has proven himself not only as a reliable leader for the Vikings but as one of the top quarterbacks in the league this season.

In the grand scheme of things, this year will go down as one of the most impressive seasons in Vikings history, and much of the credit will undoubtedly go to Sam Darnold. His meteoric rise to prominence, record-breaking feats, and consistency week after week have made him one of the most exciting quarterbacks to watch this season. It’s clear that the Vikings have found their franchise quarterback, and with Darnold leading the charge, the future looks incredibly bright for Minnesota. The question now isn’t just whether the Vikings can keep up their success, but whether Sam Darnold can continue to defy expectations and claim the MVP trophy for himself.