The Minnesota Vikings’ playoff run is over, and with it, any hope that Sam Darnold might have salvaged his reputation as a viable long-term NFL starter.
After the Vikings got obliterated by the Los Angeles Rams in a humiliating 27-9 Wild Card loss, New York Giants fans have every reason to feel nervous about their own quarterback future. Darnold’s implosion has ripple effects, and none of them are good for New York.
Darnold was sacked a playoff-record nine times. He turned the ball over twice, including a fumble that rookie Jared Verse returned for a 57-yard touchdown. Meanwhile, the Rams’ Matthew Stafford sliced through the Vikings’ defense like it wasn’t even there. He literally turned into Daniel Jones. It was a disaster for Minnesota, but an even bigger gut punch for the Giants. Why? Because the Vikings have their backup plan ready and waiting: J.J. McCarthy, the same quarterback the Giants passed on in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Sam Darnold became the 25th QB in NFL history to throw a pick, fumble, & get sacked at least 9 times in 1 game.
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) January 14, 2025
He is the 1st to do it since daniel jones in 2023 & joins Warren moon as the only QBs to do it in the playoffs
teams are just 1-24 (.040) when their qb does this pic.twitter.com/QAYXlfPwEJ
The Vikings traded up for McCarthy in last year’s draft, and now it looks like they’re going to hand him the keys. Darnold’s performance all but sealed that fate. And for the Giants, who are still wandering the quarterback wilderness, watching McCarthy potentially ascend in Minnesota is the ultimate insult.
Sam Darnold's collapse comes at the worst time for NY Giants
Let’s be clear—J.J. McCarthy remains an unknown. He hasn’t taken an NFL snap, and crowning him as Minnesota’s savior would be premature at best. But with Sam Darnold’s playoff flop, McCarthy at least offers Vikings fans a sliver of hope for the future.
The Giants? They don’t even have that.
New York passed on drafting a quarterback last year, opting for Malik Nabers to bolster their receiving corps. Nabers has been a bright spot, but the decision leaves the Giants staring into the abyss of another uncertain offseason at the most important position. The 2025 draft holds little promise, with two QB-desperate teams ahead of the Giants at No. 3 almost certainly scooping up Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward.
That leaves Big Blue scrambling yet again, likely piecing together a stopgap solution in free agency or swinging for a trade that could set the franchise back years if it misses.
Watching the Vikings implode with Darnold under center should serve as a stark reminder for the Giants: the clock is ticking. Every season spent without a definitive answer at quarterback is another year wasted.
Whether it’s exploring every trade possibility, rolling the dice on a second-tier draft prospect, or finding a way to move up in the draft, New York can’t afford to enter 2025 without a plan. The Darnold debacle proves that banking on reclamation projects or patchwork solutions isn’t the answer.
The quarterback circus is here, and the chaos is just getting started.