NFL Insider Predicts Vikings Will Re-sign Sam Darnold for 2025 Season
Sam Darnold played like one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks for most of the season, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 14–3 record and coming close to securing the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. However, his performance faltered in the final two weeks, with the Vikings losing their regular-season finale to the Detroit Lions and being eliminated from the playoffs after a 31–9 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite this rough end to the season, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero believes that Darnold, a soon-to-be free agent, will likely return to Minnesota next year.
“The smart money would be on Sam Darnold coming back to Minnesota,” Pelissero said Thursday on KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show. “And if anything, what happened in those last two games might actually make it easier to bring him back.”
The Vikings selected J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, with plans to develop him as their future franchise quarterback. McCarthy missed the entire 2024 season due to two knee surgeries but has returned to on-field training and is expected to be ready to play in 2025.
Minnesota’s biggest question is whether McCarthy will be ready to start next season. If the Vikings believe he’s not, bringing Darnold back could still be a viable option. They could also consider using the franchise tag, estimated to be worth around $41 million next season, to keep Darnold on a short-term deal.
“The most logical outcome for all parties has always been Sam Darnold returning,” Pelissero said. “The question is, can they get a deal done? If not, do they use the tag, or let him test the market, knowing that this is the best place for him?”
The question now is whether Minnesota and its fans can overlook Darnold’s disappointing finish to the season for a 2025 reunion, or if it’s time for McCarthy to take over.
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