When young quarterbacks enter the NFL, often as high draft picks, it can take each a different amount of time, experience and opportunities before they develop and find a fit.
"It takes a while," Jets QB Aaron Rodgers, who waited three seasons before making his first pro start, said. "The development of playing the quarterback takes reps and experience. Most of us it takes a little time for us to figure it out. Especially with the way that QBs are being coached in college. The NFL is a different game, you have to learn how to do a lot more things and conduct yourself."
Vikings QB Sam Darnold, whom the Jets drafted No. 3 overall in 2018, completed 59.8% of his passes for 8,097 yards, 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions over his three seasons with New York. In 2021, he was traded to the Panthers before signing with San Francisco in 2023 and the Vikings this year.
In his first season starting for Minnesota, Darnold appears to have finally found his match with HC Kevin O'Connell. During the Vikings'4-0 start, Darnold leads the NFL in touchdown passes (11), passer rating (118.9) and adjusted yards gained per pass attempt (9.59), and has helped Minnesota to defeat three playoff teams from last season.
"I don't think the Jets failed me," Darnold said earlier in Week 5. "I had a lot of opportunities in New York, and I always felt like I could have played better there."
C Connor McGovern, Darnold's teammate in 2019, added: "He has gotten a lot of experience, improved a lot since he was here and is still young. When he came here, he was barely 21 years old and playing QB in this league at that age is tough. Now, he's playing really, really good football. I am happy for him."
Darnold and the Jets will clash when the Vikings host the Green & White at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday. And, for as happy as Darnold's former teammates are for his recent success, they are looking forward to trying to slow Minnesota's red-hot offense, which is averaging 29 points per game.
"I think [Darnold] is doing a great job," Jets LB C.J. Mosley said. "He's not making a lot of risky passes. He's being decisive when he knows what coverage the defense is in, and he can dice you up. If teams start to try to take their main receivers away, they can get in the run game and cause big plays with their running backs coming out of the back field."
Darnold has found success in Minnesota in part due to the variation of the West Coast offense the Vikings are running under O'Connell and OC Wes Phillips. The former USC Trojans QB has completed 68.9% of his throws while averaging the third-most average air yards per attempt in the NFL (5.5).
"I think the system he is playing in now is really built for him," McGovern said. "He is an athlete, he can move and can operate outside of the pocket. That true West Coast system is definitely what Sam is built for. He has been playing well this year."
Unsurprisingly, Darnold's favorite target this season has been the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, wide receiver Justin Jefferson. In his fifth professional season, Jefferson leads the league with 4 touchdown grabs and has 20 receptions for 358 yards and 14 first downs.
Darnold has also found a way to spread the ball to his running backs and tight ends, including former Packers all-purpose tailback Aaron Jones. Jones leads the team with 321 yards rushing to go with 143 receiving yards and 2 total touchdowns.
"Just watching from the sideline while Sam was here and just seeing what he's been doing on film, he's a very smart quarterback," Mosley said. "He does a great job of looking off defenders. What he's been doing well so far is just really obviously not making turnovers, but being decisive with his passes, putting his players in positions to succeed."
