"Several reporters visited the table he shared with another San Francisco 49ers teammate throughout the week of Super Bowl media availability, but many more maneuvered around it on their way to talk to someone more important. Darnold was just a backup hidden in a maze of dozens of tables. He wasn't the star anymore, and he had chosen to fade into the background for his own good."
"As Darnold sat unbothered at his table, a reporter asked if he had given thought to the best way to develop a quarterback. What had he learned in the six NFL seasons after he left college early and was drafted No. 3 by the New York Jets, saw "ghosts," got dumped by the Jets and started over twice since? What does a young quarterback need?"
""If things don't go well -- which, having a rookie quarterback -- they're not all going to be C.J. Stroud. You're not just going to go out there and ball out. It takes a really special coach and leadership to be able to have trust and keep everything together for at least a couple years. Let the kid grow into his skin, and after a couple years, you kind of know, if everything's the same and if you have the same people, GM, coaches.""
Two years ago Sam Darnold sat largely unnoticed at a Super Bowl media event, positioned as a backup and content to stay out of the spotlight. Reporters asked about quarterback development and Darnold reflected on lessons from six NFL seasons: being drafted No. 3 by the Jets, experiencing "ghosts," being released, and restarting twice. He said consistent organizational stability and trusting leadership enable young quarterbacks to grow over several years. Darnold later signed a three-year deal to start in Seattle and felt secure enough to buy a house. Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak noted that patience is rare in the NFL.
Read at ESPN.com
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