Sam Darnold’s net worth: From journeyman QB to Super Bowl contender | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl-bound just for the third time in the team’s history, with their franchise quarterback Sam Darnold leading the way. Yet, it wasn’t always that way.

After three losing seasons with the New York Jets and stints with the Carolina Panthers, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Minnesota Vikings, it seemed Darnold would be cast aside as a journeyman quarterback.

Now, after a stellar 2025–26 season under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, it looks like Darnold might be positioned as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback for many years to come.

Here’s how Darnold is worth and how he makes his money.

Sam Darnold’s net worth in 2026

Darnold probably has a net worth of about $45 million to $50 million, based on his lifetime earnings in the NFL so far and what he’s made off the field. Some media sources, including Celebrity Net Worth, put his net worth at around $30 million to $45 million.

How does Sam Darnold make his money?

Darnold’s primary source of income comes from his NFL career. His earnings over his eight-year career in the NFL totaled $104 million, according to Over the Cap, which tracks players’ salaries.

In 2025, Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. For the 2025–26 season, he is set to make $33.5 million. That’s a big pay increase from the previous year, when he was making $10 million on a one-year deal for the Minnesota Vikings, and from 2023, when he was making $4.5 million as a backup to Brock Purdy for the San Francisco 49ers.

As a rookie quarterback for the New York Jets, the team saw potential in his playmaking and paid him an average annual salary of $8.58 million during his three-year stint there.

Outside of football, Darnold makes money from endorsements. He’s a brand ambassador for Nike, Bose, and restaurant chain Panini.

Who is Sam Darnold? His life & career

Samuel Richard Darnold was born in Dana Point, California, on June 5, 1997. He comes from a lineage of athleticism, with members on either side of his family participating in major sports. According to his bio with the University of Southern California, where he served as quarterback, Darnold’s father, Mike, played football at Redlands High School, and his mother, Chris, played volleyball at Long Beach City College.

Among other relatives who were athletes, Darnold’s late grandfather, Dick Hammer, played basketball at USC and was a member of the 1964 Olympic volleyball team for Team USA. Hammer also appeared in films, TV, and commercials, where he featured as the Marlboro Man, according to USC.

Darnold’s high school sports career

Darnold stood out playing both football and basketball at San Clemente High School in California (where he also played baseball). Darnold started as a wide receiver and linebacker as a freshman, and in his sophomore year, he took over quarterbacking duties after the starter was injured.

Over three years at San Clemente, Darnold compiled a 15–3 record. An injury during his junior year pushed him to excel in his senior year. He set school season records for passing yards, passing TDs, completions, and total yards (3,770) in 2014, according to his USC bio. Darnold completed 213 of 314 passes (at a 67.8% rate) for 2,996 yards with 39 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He ran for 785 yards on 125 carries with 13 touchdowns.

Darnold’s college football career

Darnold’s high school playing caught the attention of major schools, and, as a four-star recruit, USC offered him a full academic scholarship. There, he majored in communications.

At USC, his stellar play continued. In his freshman year in 2015, Darnold redshirted as the number three quarterback. He started as a rookie in his sophomore year and quickly became one of the best college quarterbacks in the country.

In all 13 games and starting the last 10, he completed 246-of-366 passes (67.2%) for 3,086 yards with 31 TDs and 9 interceptions, plus 62 carries for 250 yards with 2 TDs and 3 tackles, according to his USC bio.

He led the USC Trojans to a Rose Bowl victory over Penn State—setting a record along the way in passing touchdowns (5).

In his junior year, Darnold was a Heisman Trophy finalist.

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Darnold’s NFL career

Darnold forwent his senior year for the 2018 NFL Draft, in which he was the third overall pick. The New York Jets, coming off a 5–11 record in the 2017–18 season, were looking for Darnold to improve their performance. Still, the Jets, which had one of the longest season losing streaks in the NFL, performed poorly. In his three years as quarterback, the Jets compiled a 13–35 record.

In 2021, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers, sharing quarterback duties with Baker Mayfield, who was also suffering a football purgatory of sorts after starting for the Cleveland Browns. Darnold compiled a 4–7 record for the season, and went 4–2 in the 2022 season.

In 2023, Darnold became a free agent, and it seemed his playing days as a starter were over, and he would have to spend the remaining years as a journeyman quarterback. He was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers and served as backup to Brock Purdy. The 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan, has a knack for talent, and as a backup, Darnold took the time to learn as the team made a run for the Super Bowl but eventually lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Darnold was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, and in a resurgence of his career, he led the team to an impressive 14–3 record.

In 2025, the Seattle Seahawks picked Darnold up and signed him to a three-year $100.5 million contract. His play dispelled all rumors that he was a washed-up quarterback, and in 2026, he’s leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2014.

How does Sam Darnold spend his money?

Darnold has kept a low profile on his spending. The career of a quarterback in the league has its ups and downs, and being a standout college recruit in the NFL Draft doesn’t necessarily translate into the same level of stardom in the league.

Throughout his NFL career, Darnold has devoted some of his spare time to the Never Ever Give Up (NEGU) Jessie Rees Foundation, which helps children fight cancer.