Sam Darnold could be the week 1 starter for the 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers brought in former USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold to compete for a role on the team. The 25-year-old will have a chance to show what he is capable of this season. Brock Purdy is working his way back from surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament, which he injured in the NFC Championship Game in February versus the Philadelphia Eagles. It raises the obvious point that if Purdy’s rehabilitation process is slow, Darnold might be thrown into the fire in September.
“I truly see Sam talent-wise as a top pick in the draft, just like he was,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “You watch his whole career and there’s no reason to think differently. He hasn’t been in the best situations, so we’re glad to have him here. And I’m so glad he wanted to come here. He could’ve gone to a lot of different situations and probably made a lot more money.”
Sam Darnold enjoyed considerable success while under center at USC, completing 549 of his 846 attempts and 57 touchdowns plus 22 interceptions over his two-season stretch at the school, including a Rose Bowl victory over Penn State which completed a comeback from a double-digit deficit.
As a result of his excellence at USC, the Southern California native was selected by the New York Jets as the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft.
Over his five-year NFL career, the 25-year-old has a 59.7-percent completion rate with 61 touchdowns and 55 interceptions.
Darnold played for the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers and is now a member of the San Fransisco 49ers. We will all find out soon enough if he gets the opportunity to start in Week 1.
What does Shanahan think of Maiocco's statement — — that Sam Darnold might be the best thrower of the football the 49ers have ever had?
"I don’t think that’s a big controversial statement. Sam’s an unbelievable thrower. He was born to do that. I think Jimmy’s one of the best…
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) May 11, 2023
