Justin Jefferson Had Sweet Message About Sam Darnold Ahead Of Vikings-seahawks

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Sam Darnold yet recovered occurrence astatine nan NFL level pinch nan Vikings past season, and he has continued his resurgence successful Seattle this year. After nan 2018 No. 3 prime began his profession flaming retired pinch nan Jets and Panthers, he took a pit extremity pinch Kyle Shanahan and nan 49ers successful 2023 earlier taking advantage of his adjacent chance connected nan Vikings.

During his emergence pinch nan Vikings, Darnold group profession highs crossed nan committee arsenic he completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 picks, starring Minnesota to a 14-3 grounds and postseason berth.

Darnold has continued that occurrence this play successful his first twelvemonth pinch nan Seahawks, truthful acold completing 69.5% of his passes for 2,785 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 picks while averaging a league-high 9.3 yards per attempt. He’s established an electrical relationship pinch wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who leads nan NFL pinch 1,313 receiving yards and is connected gait for nan first 2,000-yard receiving season.

This week, Darnold is group to look nan Vikings astatine Lumen Field for nan first clip since leaving Minnesota. The crippled will people a reunion betwixt Darnold and his erstwhile Vikings coaches and teammates, including prima receiver Justin Jefferson.

"He's decidedly balling,” Jefferson said of Darnold up of nan game. “It's difficult to miss it erstwhile [their] number 1 receiver is apical successful nan NFL. He's been killin' it. Of course, you know, immoderate group will talk astir nan bad games that he's had, but each successful all, he's starring his squad to victories, truthful that's nan main thing. It’s decidedly going to beryllium reliable to spell to their location successful that situation to get a win.”

It’s unsurprising to spot Jefferson praise Darnold earlier nan matchup. Jefferson has consistently been supportive of his quarterbacks, from celebrating Darnold making his first Pro Bowl past twelvemonth to sticking up for J.J. McCarthy amid his struggles this season and praising undrafted rookie Max Brosmer ahead of his first commencement connected Sunday.

Prior to nan game, Darnold expressed gratitude for his clip pinch nan Vikings, and besides said connected his decision to time off successful nan offseason for Seattle.

“I deliberation for me, it was conscionable knowing what was being talked astir ... down closed doors pinch group complete location and my people,” Darnold said, via ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “But astatine nan extremity of nan day, I made nan determination to travel [to Seattle] and I’m very, very happy astir that determination and excited to proceed to activity nan measurement that we’ve been moving here, and proceed to build nan relationships successful that locker room and pinch nan coaching unit here.”