Vikings veteran on Sam Darnold's growth since Jets days: 'He understands who he is'

EAGAN, Minn. -- When J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury during the 2024 NFL preseason , Sam Darnold went from probable to confirmed starter as the Minnesota Vikings ' new quarterback. Just don't expect to see the Darnold of yesteryear, according to the veteran's teammates, who insist the former top-three draft pick is a changed man since early in his NFL career.

"He's a lot more comfortable," linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel told CBS Sports on Monday. "He's got a lot more playmakers now than he did with the [New York] Jets . You can tell he's a vet. He's been in this league for a while. He understands who he is, how he can manipulate defenses or get the ball to his playmakers in space."

Van Ginkel should know: He saw Darnold firsthand while playing for the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2023, a span in which Darnold appeared as the quarterback of the rival Jets. Drafted No. 3 overall out of USC back in 2018, Darnold lasted just three seasons in New York, going 13-25 as an injury- and turnover-riddled starter before his trade to the Carolina Panthers in 2021.

Three years later, coming off a one-season stint learning under Kyle Shanahan as Brock Purdy's backup with the San Francisco 49ers , Darnold has won over other big names in Minnesota's locker room, including star wide receiver Justin Jefferson , in a single offseason replacing the departed Kirk Cousins .

"To see his growth, his maturity, how far he's come as a pro," Van Ginkel said, "is unmatched."

The 27-year-old Darnold is set to open the regular season as the Vikings' first-team signal-caller on Sept. 8, in the same MetLife Stadium that he called home to start his career.