Sam Darnold closed out 2024 as one of the feel-good NFL stories of the year. The 27-year-old journeyman had led Minnesota to a 14-2 record ahead of a Week 18 showdown against the Detroit Lions that would decide the No.

I can’t stand to keep going to the playoffs and only playing in a game and being out of it,” the receiver said. “I want to compete for a Super Bowl.”

The Minnesota Vikings went out with a whimper on a Monday night, and in the process, Sam Darnold may have cost himself any shot to return as the club's unquestioned starting quarterback. A pleasant surprise for much of an explosive 2024 campaign,