Sam Darnold and Seahawks advance to
Super Bowl with thrilling 31-27 win over Rams in NFC title game
[January 26, 2026]
By ANDREW DESTIN
SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold was cast aside by the New York Jets, who
drafted him No. 3 overall in 2018. The Minnesota Vikings didn't
bring him back after he led them to a 14-3 season but flopped in the
playoffs.
Now, in his first season with the Seattle Seahawks, he's Super
Bowl-bound.
Darnold threw for three touchdowns, the Seahawks' “Dark Side”
defense came up with a critical fourth-down stop, and Seattle
advanced to the Super Bowl, beating the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in an
electrifying NFC championship game on Sunday.
“You can’t talk about the game without talking about our
quarterback,” second-year coach Mike Macdonald said. “He shut a lot
of people up tonight, so I’m happy for him.”
Led by Darnold — an eight-year veteran playing for his fifth team —
the Seahawks (16-3) reached their fourth Super Bowl in franchise
history and first in 11 years. Seattle lost that most recent
appearance to New England, its opponent in two weeks at Levi's
Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Darnold, who was blown out in his playoff debut last year with the
Vikings — by the Rams, no less — played through an oblique injury
and completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with no turnovers. Jaxon
Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving — the second-most in a playoff
game in franchise history — and a touchdown on 10 catches.
“Can’t say enough about Sam, man,” Smith-Njigba said. “It’s been a
great first year. We got one more to go. But for him to overcome
what he had to overcome, I’m riding with Sam all day.”
The Seahawks needed Darnold to keep pace with Matthew Stafford, who
drove the Rams (14-6) into position to take the lead with 4:59
remaining. On fourth-and-4 at the Seattle 6, coach Sean McVay
elected to go for it and Stafford's pass was broken up in the end
zone by Devon Witherspoon.
“He’s just the heart of our defense,” safety Julian Love said of
Witherspoon. “He just is the essence. ’Spoon is it. He plays with
just such a raw energy. And we love him for it.”
The Rams didn't get the ball back until there were 25 seconds left,
and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the final play.
Stafford threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, but the Rams were
undone by critical errors, including a muffed punt by Xavier Smith
in the third quarter. On the next play, Darnold connected with Jake
Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown and a 24-13 lead.
“That was a tough one,” McVay said.
The Seahawks led 31-20 late in the third quarter on Darnold's
13-yard TD pass to Cooper Kupp, but the Rams got back into the game
when Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen was flagged for taunting after
breaking up a pass to Nacua on third-and-12, giving Los Angeles a
first down.
On the next play, Stafford threw at Woolen again, and Nacua beat him
in the corner of the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown.
“Even though I made a great play, I wasn’t great for my team,”
Woolen said, “and I’ve got to be better with that and celebrate with
the team.”
The Rams forced a punt on Seattle's next possession and went on a
14-play, 84-yard drive that came up empty thanks to Witherspoon's
pass breakup.
Seattle stayed aggressive on its final possession, with Darnold
throwing for three first downs to run out most of the clock.
[to top of second column] |
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold lifts the winner's trophy
next to Michael Strahan, left, after a win over the Los Angeles Rams
in the NFC Championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in
Seattle. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Darnold set the tone with his first completion of
the game, a 51-yarder to Rashid Shaheed. Four plays later, Walker
ran 2 yards for a TD to make it 7-0.
Leading 13-10, Los Angeles forced a three-and-out late in the second
quarter, but after two straight incompletions by Stafford, the Rams
punted the ball back, and it took Darnold just 34 seconds to put the
Seahawks ahead for good.
Smith-Njigba caught a deep pass from Darnold, absorbed a big hit by
Kam Curl and held on for a 42-yard gain. Four plays later, Darnold
and Smith-Njigba hooked up for a 14-yard TD that made it 17-13
heading into halftime.
“I told my team, I’m going to do whatever it takes. Whatever y’all
ask of me, I’m gonna get it done, whatever that might be,” said
Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s leading receiver in the regular season. “And
that’s what you saw today. You just saw grit, determination, you saw
passion out there and you saw a group, a collective, going out there
and getting the job done.”
McVay would love to have Stafford back
McVay bristled when asked if he expects Stafford to return next
season. The 37-year-old is a finalist for his first MVP award after
throwing for a league-leading 4,707 yards and a career-best 46
touchdown passes.
“I know that if he wants to, he's still playing at a pretty damn
good clip,” McVay said. “I mean, he's the MVP of the league, and if
he's not, respect for everybody else. But this guy played a level
that's just different.”
Bobo finds the end zone
Bobo's touchdown catch was his first since Jan. 5, 2025, which
also came against the Rams, and the fourth of his three-year career.
He gave all the credit to Darnold.
“He’s the best in the world,” Bobo said. “It didn’t surprise anybody
in here, I’ll tell you that.”
Injuries
Rams: WR Jordan Whittington (chest) left in the third quarter.
Defensive end Kobie Turner (cramps) also exited in the third.
Seahawks: LB Drake Thomas (shoulder) left in the fourth quarter. FB
Brady Russell (hand) was injured in the second half and did not
return.
Up next
Rams: Stafford turns 38 next month and has to wonder if this was his
last, best chance at a second Super Bowl title.
Seahawks: Seek their second Super Bowl title after winning it all in
the 2013 season with coach Pete Carroll and the “Legion of Boom”
defense.
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