Jeni Watson
For the National Football League’s Carolina Panthers, Samuel Richard Darnold plays quarterback in American football. Since the AFL–NFL merger, he started the NFL’s debut game as its youngest starting quarterback at age 21. Until his trade to the Panthers in 2021, Darnold started all of the Jets’ games from 2018 to 2020.
About Sam Darnold | Family and Education
Michael and Chris Darnold welcomed Sam into the world on June 5, 1997, in Dane Point, California.
He was raised alongside his older sister, Franki. He entered his life at a young age—just a fast, interesting tidbit. Similarly, He arrived two weeks early, weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces.
Sam’s father intended to call him back, but it is safe to say that did not happen. Sam used to participate in a variety of sports as a child, including basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, and taekwondo.
His parents’ desire for him to be adaptable and energetic is the only explanation for this.
However, his parents never put any pressure on him to play a particular sport. Sam was allowed to play however he wanted. He always maintained a solid foundation.
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Sam and Franki, his sister, got along great. They used to watch the cartoon “Spongebob Square Pants.” Then he and his father watched ESPN. When he was just five years old, he started basketball.
Without a doubt, Sam was raised by a large athletic family. At the University of Redlands in California, Sam’s father, Michael, played offensive line.
Chris, Sam’s mom, was a volleyball player at Long Beach City College. She also teaches physical education at Shorecliffs Middle School at the moment.
At the University of Rhode Island, his older sister Frankie plays volleyball as well.
At the age of two, his grandfather Dick Hammer passed away. Dick appeared in Marlboro cigarette commercials in the 1960s and 1970s while playing basketball for USC.
However, he did not smoke, and when the management placed warning labels on cigarette packets, he terminated his contract with the advertising campaign.
In the television series “Emergency!” he also portrayed Captain Hammer.
A career in High School
In California, Sam attended San Clemente High School. He played baseball in his first year, followed by basketball and football.
He had great basketball skills, which helped him win the South Coast League’s Most Valuable Player award twice. At first, he was also a member of the California Interscholastic Federation team.
His basketball prowess was what primarily made him into a football defensive player, according to his basketball coach Marc Popovich.
Sam expressed interest in competing as a college basketball player in the Mountain West Conference or the Pac-12 Conference.
Sam started playing football as a sophomore. Due to an injury to his team’s starting quarterback, he got to play quarterback first.
When he successfully shattered the record for the most touchdown passes, he was declared to be a quarterback.
Sam’s foot injury in his junior year prevented him from playing that impulsively. He competed in the CIF-Southern Section Southwest Division title game for his senior year with success.
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39 touchdowns, 3000 throwing yards, 13 running touchdowns, and 800 rushing yards were all that Sam had in his high school career.
He was also regarded as the eighth-best dual-threat quarterback in his class and the 179th-best player by Rivals.com, a four-star recruit.
Jaime Ortiz, the head football coach of San Clemente, requested a film of him playing in basketball competitions after he had proven himself to be a capable player.
Career in College
Numerous colleges, including Duke, Oregon, Utah, and Northwestern, offered him scholarships after noticing his multi-sport personality.
Additionally, USC coaches Clay Helton and Steve Sarkisian assisted him and helped him secure a scholarship to play for the Trojans.
Sam did indeed redshirt his first year of college. Sadly, he was defeated in his debut game against the Utah Utes.
When he caught five touchdown passes in back-to-back games, becoming the first quarterback in collegiate history to do it, we may say he overcame it all.
Sam was eligible for the 2016 Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year award.
Additionally, he represented USC in the 2017 Rose Bowl. He qualified for the Freshman All-America team and received the Archie Griffin Award.
Sam also rose to the top of the Heisman Trophy betting odds early on. Additionally, under his leadership, the Texas Longhorns defeated the 2017 Stanford Cardinal squad.
His leadership led his squad to the Pac-12 Conference title and a spot in the 2017 Cotton Bowl.
Professional Life and Career
With the third overall choice in the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected him in the first round. Sam consented to a $30.25 million, four-year deal.
Not to mention, Sam was declared the Week 1 starter after starting the first preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons and guiding his team to a 17-0 victory.
He and his team faced stern opposition from the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sam missed three games because of a foot ailment, but he played against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14 to make up for his absence.
In a similar vein, he has continued to play for the Jets to this day. The majority of information is available on Wikipedia.
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Responses to Sam Darnold
Every coin has two sides, according to a proverb. Similar to this, life has both good and bad times in store for us. Let’s look at the positive and negative remarks that Sam’s career has received.
Sam fumbled while tossing four interceptions in a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots.
Although he may have had valid reasons for being unable to control the ball, the fans of the opposing side decided to make fun of him for it.
This occurred after NFL documentaries heard ESPN describe Darnold as “seeing ghosts.” precisely because he appeared to be having difficulty during the game.
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On to some worthwhile discussions on the man. Sam was not acknowledged as a running quarterback, though.
However, he could throw the ball while moving, which was his most closely watched skill. He was lightning quick, which enabled him to release pressure. From that point on, he was also known as a “gunslinger.”
Awards and Successes
- He was named to the 2017 First Team All-Pac-12.
- In 2017, he was crowned Rose Bowl Champion.
- Sam was the 2016 recipient of the Archie Griffin Award.
- Additionally, in 2016, he won the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award.
Relationship Status
In terms of his personal life, Sam is not yet married but is already dating. Claire Kirksey is the lucky one. Since September 2017, they have been dating.
The University of Southern California was where Claire attended. That’s where they met and fell in love, so it makes sense.
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She played softball in school and resides in Huntington Beach, California. She was observed supporting Sam at USC. The pair was also seen having a good time during a performance in Los Angeles in 2018.
But a query nevertheless surfaces.
Continually dating?
Good question, but we really can’t say for sure if they are still together given that the New York Post abruptly withdrew its report of their separation in November 2019.
One more little detail, though—and this one is not included in the table—Sam was previously discovered to be dating Summer, a student from his high school. At present, she attends San Diego State.
Putting this dating information aside, Sam, despite being a hottie, doesn’t have any tattoos or body piercings. Additionally, he rarely poses without a shirt on.
Following the diagnosis of mono, Sam Darnold was placed on the sidelines.
We assume that you are correctly reading the subheadline. Sam was indeed found to have mono, also known as the kissing illness.
However, he hasn’t kissed them. He does, however, have mononucleosis, a condition that is brought on by sharing food, drinks, utensils, or anything else that comes into contact with saliva from other individuals.
Except for the medical academics, that is a strange and mostly unknown occurrence.
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Net Worth | Sam Darnold
Sam was a New York Jets quarterback who made his NFL debut early. He has been building up best for the Jets ever since. He was the one who started the NFL’s trend of young quarterback sensations.
If we question his agility, it will be a waste. He takes his objectives seriously. Sam has been leading a long, successful life.
He frequently appears hanging out with his friends while they engage in sports or adventure trips. You could have trip goals after looking through his Instagram feed.
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In addition, according to Spotrac.com, the New York Jets pay him an average annual salary of $7,561,929 along with a $20,078,338 signing bonus.
As of 2020, Sam Darnold’s total net worth is predicted to be approximately $30 million.
Social Media
Sam is extremely limited when it comes to social media presence. He only has 237 posts and 205k followers on Instagram, where he may be found.
He continues to publish about his travels, unusual adventures, team photos, and any videos linked to sports without ever boring his followers.
@samdarnold is the URL to his Instagram account. What about quickly following him?
Frequently Asked Question:
How much of a Madden rating did Sam Darnold receive?
The Madden rating gave Sam Darnold a score of 71.
What is the opinion of Christian McCaffrey towards Sam Darnold?
Sam Darnold’s leadership skills were commended by Christian McCaffrey in an interview. He claimed that Darnold understands how to bring out the best in everyone.
What place in the dynasty is Sam Darnold?
Sam Darnold is ranked #28 in the dynasty.
Quick Facts | Sam Darnold
| Full Name | Samuel Richard Darnold |
| Birth Date | June 5, 1997 |
| Birth Place | Dana Point, California |
| Nick Name | Sam |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | San Clemente, University of Southern California |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Father’s Name | Michael Darnold |
| Mother’sName | Chris Darnold |
| Siblings | Franki Darnold (older sister) |
| Age | 25 Years Old |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Jersey No | 14 |
| Hair Color | Light Brown |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| NFL Draft | 2018, Round:1, Pick:3 |
| Build | Athlete |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Girlfriend | Claire Kirksey |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Profession | NFL player |
| Net Worth | $30 million |
| Salary | $7,561,929 average annual salary |
| Currently Plays for | New York Jets |
| League | NFL |
| Active Since | 2018-present |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Funko Pop, Jersey & Rookie Card |
| Last Update | June, 2022 |
