Sam Darnold Just Earned a $3M Bonus Ahead of the Super Bowl After Signing 1 of the ‘Worst’ NFL Contracts With the Seahawks
The Seahawks are headed to the 2026 Super Bowl, and they couldn’t have done so without star QB Sam Darnold.
Sam Darnold started his NFL career when he signed a four-year contract with the New York Jets. The quarterback landed to where he is now after the team traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick. “When I just found out about the mutual interest that both sides had in getting a deal done, that was something that was really important for me,” he told Fox News Sports. “Having somebody that also wanted me there, and to be able to have an impact as best I can.”
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With nearly a decade of professional experience under his belt, let’s see Sam Darnold’s net worth and how much all his contracts were.
What is Sam Darnold’s net worth?
Sam Darnold’s net worth is $45 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. As of 2026, Spotrac estimated that his total career earnings add up to $105,253,948 from his seasons with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and his current season on the Seattle Seahawks.
What’s in Sam Darnold’s contract with the Seattle Seahawks?
Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks in free agency. In 2025, he had a base salary of $5.3 million, plus the $200,000 workout bonus, $6.4 million in signing bonus proration, and the $1.5 million in incentives, which add up to a $13.4 million cap number. After winning the NFC championship, he secured $3 million in bonuses: $500K for 4,000+ yards, 67.5%+ completion rate, Top 10 offense, Playoff berth, Divisional Round win, and Conference Championship win.
If Seattle parts ways with him in 2026, five days after the Super Bowl, it would carry $25.6 million in dead money.
When the contract was announced, Pro Football Network placed Darnold’s deal among the “worst of the offseason” because of the way the Seahawks handled the situation. “On the open market, this deal isn’t unreasonable,” PFN wrote. “Darnold’s $33.5 million AAV ranks 18th among quarterbacks, and his $18.3 million-per-year guarantee ranks 14th. Darnold finished 12th in PFSN’s QB+ rankings last season, meaning even a slight regression would still provide reasonable value. The issue is that Seattle was the team to make this deal, which sends mixed signals about its plans.
“The consensus was that the Seahawks intended to push for the playoffs in 2025, but they traded away Geno Smith and DK Metcalf while also cutting several veterans.”
In 2026, he has a $12.3 million base salary, and $2.5 million is guaranteed for injury now. He has a roster bonus of $15 million, and the injury is fully guaranteed if Darnold remains on Seattle’s 90-man roster for five days past the Super Bowl.
If he does choose to stay with the Seahawks in 2027, his base salary increases to $25.3 million, with a roster bonus of $10 million if he stays with the team 5 days after the Super Bowl.
What was in Sam Darnold’s contract with the Minnesota Vikings?
In 2024, Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in free agency. His signing bonus was $6,250,000 and $8,750,000 guarunteed at signing.
What was in Sam Darnold’s contract with the San Francisco 49ers?
In 2023, Darnold signed a one-year contract for $4,500,000 with the San Francisco 49ers, and $3,500,000 guarunteed at signing.
What was in Sam Darnold’s contract with the New York Jets?
Sam Darnold signed a $30,247,715 contract with the New York Jets in 2017 with a $20 million signing bonus.
