Sam Darnold is an American professional football quarterback currently playing for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL.
In 2016, he received the Archie Griffin Award and Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. His passing yards stats are 8,097, his passing rating is 78.6, his rushing touchdown is 5, and his completion percentage is 59.8.
Early life
Sam was born on June 5, 1997, in Dana Point, California, United States of America. His parents’ names are Chris Darnold and Michael Darnold. His sister Franki is a college volleyball player at the University of Rhode Island. He was very athletic from a young age and used to play football and basketball. Sam attended San Clemente High School, where he graduated with a high school diploma. For his further and higher studies, he went to the University of Southern California. There, he showed an active participation in American football.
Sam Darnold career
Sam started his career in soccer, competing against Tesoro High School and Trabuco High School. He finished his senior season with a total of 3,000 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, 800 rushing yards, and 13 rushing touchdowns. He was later rated a four-star recruit by Rivials.com and ranked 179th best player overall. He played for USC from 2015 to 2017. For his freshman year, he was redshirted. The next season, he played against the Utah Utes, the Washington Huskies, Penn State, and other teams. His team was also invited to play at the 2017 Rose Bowl. In 2017, he played as a sophomore against Stanford, the Texas Longhorns, and many more. He also played at the Pac-12 Conference Championship and the 2017 Cotton Bowl.
NFL
On January 3, 2018, he elected to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. He was selected by the New York Jets in the first round with the third overall pick. He made his pro debut on August 10, 2018, against the Atlanta Falcons. He competed against the Detroit Lions, Quandre Diggs, the Miami Dolphins, the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Denver Broncos, and many more. In 2019, he competed against various teams like the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and many more.
He finished his season with 3,024 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 33 carries for 62 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. His 2020 season ended with 2,208 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, as well as 217 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. He’s been spotted in games against the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and more. On April 5, 2021, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers, and on April 30, 2021, the team exercised a fifth-year option on his contract.
Sam Darnold Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Samuel Richard Darnold |
| date of birth | June 5, 1997 |
| Age | 28 years |
| place of birth | Capistrano Beach, California, United States |
| nationality | American |
| job | soccer player |
| religion | Christianity |
| sun sign | Twins |
Physical Statistics | |
| height | in feet inches – 6′ 3” – in centimeters – 191 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 102kg – in pounds – 225 pounds |
| bust size | 42 inches |
| waist size | 32 inches |
| bicep size | 16 inches |
| shoe size | 14 (USA) |
| Hair color | Brown |
| eye color | blue |
| body type | Sporty |
Sam Darnold family | |
| father | Michael Darold |
| mother | Chris Darnold |
| sister | Frankie Darnold |
| Brothers | none |
Qualification/Education | |
| school | San Clemente High School |
| University | University of Southern California |
relationship status | |
| marital status | In relation |
| affair | Yes |
| Who is Sam Darnold’s girlfriend? | Katie Hoofnagle |
Personal life
Sam Darnold is engaged but not yet married. He has no wife as of January 2026.
Darnold proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Katie Hoofnagle, on July 5, 2025, in Dana Point, California, during a beachside event with family and friends present. The couple went public with their relationship in 2023, after reportedly meeting during his time with the Carolina Panthers, and she has supported him at games for the Vikings and Seahawks. Hoofnagle, a University of South Carolina graduate who played college athletics and works in marketing/tech sales, shared proposal photos on Instagram captioned with excitement about their future.
Sam Darnold net worth
Darnold’s net worth stood at about $30-40 million in 2025, boosted by his rookie deal and a $100.5 million three-year extension with Seattle signed that year.
Facts About Sam Darnold
- His mother is a physical education teacher at Shorecliffs Middle School.
- He missed much of his junior year of high school due to his foot injury.
- During his freshman year of high school, he was spotted playing basketball and was recognized as the South Coast League’s Most Valuable Player.
- He received scholarship offers to play college football from Oregon, Utah, Northwestern and Duke.
- He was diagnosed with mononucleosis on September 12, 2019, and missed a few games.