Quarterback Sam Darnold arrives at OTAs in line to be Vikings’ starter

As veteran quarterback Sam Darnold made his way to the podium on Tuesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, he joked that it’s been a long time since he has spoken to reporters.

Though he did actually speak to reporters a couple of months ago after signing with the Vikings in free agency, it has been awhile since Darnold has had all of the responsibilities that come with being a starting quarterback in the NFL. He served as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers last season, and thus, did not have to regularly speak to reporters.

That’s about to change now that Darnold is in line to be the starter for the Vikings this season, an opportunity that isn’t lost on him as he tries to revitalize his career.

“It’s awesome to be able to come out here,” said Darnold, who signed a 1-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings. “Obviously to a new team I wasn’t really sure what the vibe was going to be like. These guys have been awesome. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, and I know a lot of the new guys feel the same exact way.”

With the Vikings in the early stages of organized team activities, Darnold has been taking the reps with the starters while he learns as much as he can from head coach Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, among others.

“I enjoy the process of learning a new offense,” Darnold said. “Obviously a lot of hard work has to go into it, and I still am learning a ton.”

Meanwhile, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is learning the ropes after being selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Michigan. There already seems to be a genuine connection between Darnold and McCarthy despite the fact that they will be battling each other for playing time this fall.

“He’s been asking questions and I’ve been answering,” Darnold said. “We’re just going to continue to have that bond.”

It’s funny because not too long ago Darnold was a young player himself after being selected with the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Southern California. Now he’s mentoring a young player and taking a lot of pride in it. What has been the biggest lesson he’s learned so far?

“Just being able to play consistent football, I think, is the hardest thing in this league,” Darnold said. “That’s what I’m continuing to set out to do.”

He has struggled to string good games together throughout his NFL career, whether it be as a starter for the New York Jets or the Carolina Panthers. He’s hoping to change that now that he’s in line to be the starter for the Vikings.

“That’s kind of been the biggest hurdle,” Darnold said. “Just continuing to stack good weeks on top of good weeks this season is my goal.”