Jim Rich compares Sam Darnold’s last 2 games to 2008 stock market crash
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings’ season is over after a 27-9 loss to the L.A. Rams in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs Monday night.
The first 14-win Wild Card team in NFL history is one-and-done. The consensus after the game is that Vikings’ quarterback Sam Darnold had a very costly last two weeks. Darnold signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, then had a career-high 4,319 yards passing and 35 touchdowns in the regular season.
With the No. 1 seed on the line at Detroit, Darnold was 18-of-41 for 166 yards and missed open receivers on several occasions. He should’ve had multiple touchdowns. Monday night, he was 25-of-40 for 245 yards, one touchdown, one interception and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. He was also sacked nine times, many because he held the ball too long. FOX 9 Sports Director Jim Rich compared his play to the 2008 stock market crash.
"I highly think that you will not be seeing Sam Darnold in a Minnesota Viking uniform next season. Sam Darnold really lost a ton of money, it was like ’08 for Sam Darnold if you go back to the stock market crash."
The context
What we know: In late September of 2008, the Dow Jones dropped 777.68 points, the biggest drop in history. From 2007-09, the stock market lost half its value as unemployment skyrocketed and households lost trillions of dollars in value. It was a mix of bad mortgage lending, unregulated markets, consumer debt, toxic assets and the collapse of home prices.
‘These last 2 weeks will have a big impact on his future’
Why it matters: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman did not hold back on the Monday Night Football broadcast. Just a few weeks ago, Vikings teammates hoisted Darnold in the air after a win over the Green Bay Packers, and Kevin O’Connell looked on like a proud dad.
But when the games mattered the most against the Lions and Rams, Darnold completely fell apart. Darnold was set to have a big pay day in the offseason, whether it was with the Vikings or elsewhere. Now, that’s in jeopardy.
"That conversation’s a different conversation today than it was two weeks ago," Aikman said. "These last two weeks will have a big impact on his future," Aikman says. "Not only what that may look like for the Minnesota Vikings, but a big impact on what that may look like for him going to another team. Is there going to be the big payout that looked inevitable a few weeks ago? [It] may not be quite as big as what Sam or others thought. These are the games that matter."
Kevin O’Connell defends Darnold
What he said: O’Connell came to Darnold’s defense postgame, saying we should look at his body of work this season. He also said he could’ve called a better game for his quarterback to succeed.
"I think it’s very important we all think about Sam’s body of work, what he was able to do this year when not many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins," O’Connell said. "It did not work out in the end, and I think Sam would be the first one to tell you he could’ve played better."
What does Darnold’s future hold?
What we know: Darnold is set to become a free agent when the league year opens in March, but the Vikings could franchise tag him. They then either keep under contract for 2025, or trade him for assets. The Vikings could also let him walk after one season, and hand the keys to J.J. McCarthy for the 2025 season. Daniel Jones could also conceivably still be on the roster and start if McCarthy isn’t ready.