Pre-draft On January 3, 2018, Darnold announced that he would enter the
2018 NFL draft.
New York Jets 2018 season Darnold was selected by the
New York Jets in the first round, with the third overall selection, of the
2018 NFL draft. On July 30, 2018, he signed a four-year deal worth $30.25 million fully guaranteed featuring a $20 million signing bonus with the Jets. Darnold made his professional debut in the first preseason game against the
Atlanta Falcons on August 10, where he finished with 96 passing yards and a touchdown as the Jets won 17–0. On August 29, the Jets named Darnold the starter for Week 1 of the season. Darnold played his first regular season game on September 10, 2018, during
Monday Night Football against the
Detroit Lions. At 21 years, 97 days old, Darnold became the youngest opening-day starting quarterback since the 1970
AFL–NFL merger. His first pass resulted in an interception returned for a touchdown by
Quandre Diggs. However, he responded well and finished with 198 passing yards and two touchdowns as the Jets won 48–17. During the Jets' home opener against the
Miami Dolphins in Week 2, Darnold finished with 334 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions as the Jets lost 20–12. During a
Thursday Night Football game against the
Cleveland Browns in Week 3, Darnold finished with 169 passing yards and two interceptions as the Jets lost 21–17. During Week 4 against the
Jacksonville Jaguars, Darnold finished with 167 passing yards and a touchdown as the Jets lost 31–12. During Week 5 against the
Denver Broncos, Darnold finished with 198 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, while the Jets combined for 323 rushing yards and won 34–16. During Week 6 against the
Indianapolis Colts, Darnold finished with 280 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception as the Jets won 42–34. During Week 7 against the
Minnesota Vikings, Darnold committed 4 turnovers, including 3 interceptions and a lost fumble. He finished with 206 passing yards and a touchdown as the Jets lost 37–17. During Week 8 against the
Chicago Bears, Darnold finished with 153 passing yards and a touchdown as the Jets lost 24–10. During a rematch against the Dolphins in Week 9, Darnold threw four interceptions, finishing the game with 229 passing yards during a 13–6 loss. Darnold suffered through a foot injury, which sidelined him and caused
Josh McCown to start for the Jets. After missing three games due to a foot injury, Darnold returned to action in a Week 14 matchup against the
Buffalo Bills and fellow rookie quarterback
Josh Allen. Darnold temporarily left the game due to an injury on the same foot, but eventually returned, finishing with 170 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception as the Jets ended their six-game losing streak and won 27–23. He led the team on its game-winning drive, completing a 37-yard pass to
Robby Anderson to help set up a touchdown run by
Elijah McGuire. During
Saturday Night Football against the
Houston Texans in Week 15, Darnold finished with 253 passing yards and two touchdowns as the Jets lost 29–22. During Week 16 against the
Green Bay Packers, Darnold finished with 341 passing yards and three touchdowns. Marred by 16 penalties, the Jets squandered a 15-point lead and lost 44–38 in overtime. During Week 17 against the
New England Patriots, Darnold finished with 167 passing yards as the Jets lost 38–3 in the regular-season finale. Darnold finished the season with 2,865 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
2019 season During the Jets' home opener against the Bills in Week 1, Darnold finished with 179 passing yards and a touchdown. Despite the Jets having a 16–0 lead midway through the third quarter and four takeaways, the team lost 17–16. On September 12, it was reported that Darnold was diagnosed with
mononucleosis, and he subsequently missed three games. He returned in Week 6 against the
Dallas Cowboys where he finished with 338 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception as the Jets won 24–22. In the game, Darnold threw a 92-yard touchdown pass to
Robby Anderson. He was named the
American Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. During
Monday Night Football against the Patriots in Week 7, the Jets only had 154 total yards of offense with Darnold throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble as the Jets were shut out 33–0. A
sound bite captured by
NFL Films and
ESPN showed Darnold, who was mic'd up, commenting that he was "seeing ghosts" while struggling during the game, which led to mockery by opposing NFL fanbases. During Week 8 against the Jaguars, Darnold finished with 218 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions as the Jets lost 29–15. During Week 9 against the Dolphins, Darnold finished with 260 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception as the Jets lost 26–18. During Week 10 against the
New York Giants, Darnold finished with 230 passing yards, 25 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns as the Jets won 34–27. During Week 11 against the
Washington Redskins, Darnold finished with 293 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an interception as the Jets won 34–17. During Week 12 against the
Oakland Raiders, Darnold finished with 315 passing yards and two touchdowns as the Jets won 34–3. In Week 13, Darnold finished with 239 passing yards, but penalties by the offensive line proved to be costly as the Jets lost 22–6 to the
Cincinnati Bengals. During a Dolphins' rematch in Week 14, Darnold finished with 270 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception as the Jets won 22–21. Darnold ended his second professional season with 3,024 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions to go along with 33 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games, finishing with a 7–6 record in those starts.
2020 season During the season opener against the Bills in Week 1, Darnold finished with 215 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception as the Jets lost 27–17. During the Jets' home opener against the
San Francisco 49ers in Week 2, Darnold finished with 179 passing yards and a touchdown as the Jets lost 31–13. During Week 3 against the Colts, Darnold finished with 168 passing yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions, two of which were returned for a touchdown. He was sacked in the endzone for a safety as the Jets lost 36–7. During
Thursday Night Football against the Broncos in Week 4, Darnold finished with 230 passing yards, 86 rushing yards, and highlighted a big play with a 46-yard rushing touchdown. He briefly left the game with a shoulder injury after a sack but was allowed back in the game. Still, the Jets lost 37–28. After missing two games due to shoulder soreness, Darnold returned in Week 7 against the Bills, finishing with 120 passing yards and two interceptions as the Jets lost 18–10. In Week 8 against the
Kansas City Chiefs, Darnold reaggravated his shoulder injury and missed the Jets' next two games. He made his return in Week 12 against the Dolphins. During the game, Darnold continued to struggle, throwing for 197 yards and two interceptions in the 20–3 loss. In Week 13 against the
Las Vegas Raiders, Darnold threw for 186 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception and also recorded a rushing touchdown during the 31–28 loss. This was Darnold's first game of the season in which he threw more touchdown passes than interceptions. Darnold finished the 2020 season with 2,208 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and 11 interceptions to go along with 37 carries for 217 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games and starts as the Jets finished 2–14.
Carolina Panthers 2021 season On April 5, 2021, Darnold was traded to the
Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick and second- and fourth-round picks in 2022. On April 30, the team exercised the fifth-year option on Darnold's contract, worth a guaranteed $18.858 million for the 2022 season. Darnold made his first start for the Panthers on September 12, 2021, facing his former team, the Jets. During the game, Darnold threw for 279 passing yards and a touchdown, as well as adding a five-yard rushing touchdown, as they won 19–14. In the next game against the
New Orleans Saints, Darnold threw for 305 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, as the Panthers won 26–7. The following week against the
Houston Texans, he threw for 304 yards and rushed for two touchdowns as the Panthers won 24–9. Darnold suffered a fractured scapula during the Panthers' 24–6 loss to the Patriots which made him miss four to six weeks with a shoulder injury. He was placed on
injured reserve on November 12, 2021. Darnold returned December 25. Coach Rhule told Carolina's Media, on Darnold's return from injured reserve, he and
Cam Newton would share play time. He substituted Darnold in the second quarter of a Week 16 game against the division rival
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He completed 15 of 32 passes for 190 yards as the Panthers went on to lose 32–6. It was the team's tenth loss in 12 games. Darnold finished the 2021 season with 2,527 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions to go along with 48 carries for 222 yards and five touchdowns. His season ended with a 4–7 record.
2022 season Darnold was named the backup for the 2022 season after losing a preseason competition to new acquisition and 2018 draftmate
Baker Mayfield. During the third preseason game against the Bills, Darnold left the game with an ankle injury. It turned out to be a high ankle sprain, requiring 4–6 weeks to recover. On September 1, 2022, Darnold was placed on injured reserve. On November 7, Darnold was activated back to the roster by the Panthers. Darnold was named the starter for the Panthers' Week 12 game against the
Denver Broncos. In his return, Darnold tossed for 164 yards and a touchdown on 11 of 19 passes, while also recovering a fumble for a touchdown as the Panthers beat the Broncos 23–10. In Week 14, Darnold led the Panthers to a 30–24 road victory over the
Seattle Seahawks, throwing for 120 yards and a touchdown, as well as running four times for 30 yards. In Week 15 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers, Darnold threw for 225 yards and a touchdown, however the Panthers would lose 24–16. Darnold and the Panthers would bounce back the following week against the Lions, winning 37–23. Darnold threw for 250 yards and a touchdown, while also earning a rushing touchdown. In Week 17 against the division rival Buccaneers, Darnold would throw for 341 yards, 3 touchdowns, and just one interception. However, it would not be enough since the Panthers went on to lose 30–24 and were subsequently eliminated from playoff contention. Darnold and the Panthers traveled to New Orleans for the final game of the season against the Saints, where Darnold played poorly, throwing for only 43 yards and two interceptions on 5 of 15 passing. Darnold finished the 2022 season with 1,143 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions to go along with 26 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns alongside a 4–2 record as the starter. Following the season, Darnold's contract was not renewed, and he became a free agent.
San Francisco 49ers On March 16, 2023, Darnold signed a one-year contract with the
San Francisco 49ers. On August 23, Darnold was named the backup quarterback over
Trey Lance, the team's third-overall selection from 2021, who was subsequently traded to the
Dallas Cowboys the next day for a fourth-round pick. With the top overall seed clinched, the 49ers elected to rest
Brock Purdy and start Darnold in the regular season finale against the
Los Angeles Rams. In the game, Darnold completed 16 of 26 pass attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown, as well as a rushing touchdown, as the 49ers narrowly lost 21–20. Darnold continued to serve as a backup to Purdy during the 49ers' postseason run to
Super Bowl LVIII, which they lost in overtime 25–22. Following the season, Darnold described his time with the 49ers as a valuable learning experience, citing the team's meticulous preparation and the influence of players like Brock Purdy and head coach
Kyle Shanahan in reshaping his approach to the game.
Minnesota Vikings On March 13, 2024, Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the
Minnesota Vikings. He was originally expected to compete with rookie
J. J. McCarthy for the starting job, but was named the starting quarterback to begin the season following a season-ending injury to McCarthy in the preseason. Darnold was also named an offensive captain. On September 8, Darnold made his Vikings debut against the Giants at
MetLife Stadium, leading Minnesota to a 28–6 victory. He completed his first 12 passes and finished the game converting 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. In the next game against his former team, the 49ers, Darnold passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a 97-yard touchdown to
Justin Jefferson as the Vikings won 23–17. Darnold continued his hot start to the season by throwing four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 34–7 win against the Texans, followed by three touchdowns in the first half the next week against the Green Bay Packers as the Vikings improved to 4–0 for the first time since 2016. Darnold was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month, racking up 932 yards, a league-high 11 touchdowns, and a league-best 118.9 passer rating in September. Darnold led the Vikings to a 5–0 start before suffering consecutive losses to the
Detroit Lions and
Los Angeles Rams. In Week 9 against the
Indianapolis Colts, Darnold overcame three turnovers with three second-half touchdowns as the Vikings won 21–13. After a shaky, three-interception outing against the
Jacksonville Jaguars, Darnold bounced back the following week with three total touchdowns against the
Tennessee Titans. He then orchestrated game-winning drives in back-to-back games against the
Chicago Bears and
Arizona Cardinals, including a fourth quarter comeback against the Cardinals as the Vikings improved to 10–2. In Week 14 against the
Atlanta Falcons, Darnold had a career day, leading the Vikings to a 42–21 victory. He finished with 347 yards and five touchdowns, along with setting the Vikings' single-game passer rating record at 157.9. Two weeks later, Darnold led another fourth quarter comeback against the
Seattle Seahawks, finishing with three touchdowns as the Vikings won 27–24, extending their win streak to eight games. In Week 17, Darnold had a career-high 377 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Vikings to a narrow 27–25 victory over the Packers, advancing their record to 14–2. With the win, he became the first quarterback to achieve 14 wins in the first season with a team. In the regular-season finale against the Lions with the NFC's top seed at stake, Darnold completed 18 of 41 passes (41.9%) for 166 yards and no touchdowns as the Vikings lost 31–9. In his playoff debut against the Rams, Darnold took nine sacks for a loss of 82 yards and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown as the Vikings lost 27–9. Despite the disappointing finish, Darnold still finished the season with career highs in nearly every statistical category, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and a 102.5 passer rating. He was also named to his first career
Pro Bowl. Darnold was nominated for the
AP Comeback Player of the Year award, but lost to
Joe Burrow.
Seattle Seahawks in 2025
2025 season: Super Bowl championship On March 13, 2025, Darnold signed with the
Seattle Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5 million contract. The deal is structured such that the Seahawks could part ways with Darnold after one season, having paid him $37.5 million. The second year's salary of $27.5 million carries an injury guarantee of $17.5 million, which vests shortly after
Super Bowl LX; the non-guaranteed third year would pay Darnold $35.5 million. In Week 9 against the
Washington Commanders, Darnold threw four touchdown passes with no incompletions during the first half, becoming the first player to do so since
Ryan Tannehill in 2015. In a pivotal Week 16 matchup against the
Los Angeles Rams, Darnold led a historic comeback for the Seahawks franchise,
overcoming a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win the game in overtime, 38–37, despite throwing two interceptions; the Seahawks were previously 0–172 when trailing by 15+ points in the fourth quarter until this matchup. The win was crucial in enabling the team to control their path to the #1 seed in the NFC. After beating the
San Francisco 49ers in a Week 18 matchup, 13–3, Darnold secured the number 1 seed in the NFC for Seattle and became the second ever quarterback to have two straight 14-win seasons after
Tom Brady. Darnold finished his first season with the Seahawks completing 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and a 99.1 passer rating, though his 20 total turnovers led the league. In the Divisional Round matchup against San Francisco, Darnold recorded his first career playoff win in dominant fashion as the Seahawks comfortably beat the 49ers, 41–6. He completed 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. In the NFC Championship Game against the
Los Angeles Rams, Darnold led the Seahawks to a 31–27 victory, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns while completing 25 of 36 pass attempts. With the win, Darnold advanced to
Super Bowl LX, his first as a starter, to face the
New England Patriots. In Super Bowl LX, Darnold connected on 19 of his 38 attempts for 202 yards and one touchdown pass to
AJ Barner as the Seahawks downed the Patriots 29–13, earning Darnold his first
Super Bowl ring and making him the first quarterback in the
2018 NFL draft class to win the Super Bowl as a starter. After leading the league in turnovers during the regular season, Darnold finished the postseason with no turnovers. ==Playing style==